Meiji Heights
by Aishiteru
Summary: Makimachi Misao will do anything to get into Meiji High's kenpo club, captained by the aloof Shinomori Aoshi. But will she be able to maintain her disguise as a boy? Yes, I have been reading too much shoujo manga...R&R, onegai shimasu!
1. Part 1: Masaru

The scissors were blunt.

Alright, granted, that's not a very interesting fact, isn't it? The scissors are _blunt,_ Jiya! Sharpen them then, Misao-chan. Heh, I can hear your querulous half joking voice in my head, even as you gaze at me with shocked eyes. Well. Perhaps this will convince you of my determination. My hair...I've grown this long braid of hair all of my life, perhaps my one attempt at doing something girly, to appease Jiya's occasional complaints in that direction.

Feh, how many times have I cursed it while doing a flip, or even a simple spin, and have it whack me in the face? But now, I've actually done it. I've cut it off, with these annoyingly blunt scissors that had trouble shearing through my darn hair. I can feel the ragged ends settle against the curve of my oddly bare neck. The length of my plait lies warm in my hand for one moment; and then I fling it down before you. Your eyes widen further, Jiya - do you finally understand?

"I don't care what I have to do to go!" I tell you. "No matter what, I _will_ get into Meiji High's kenpo club!"

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 1: Masaru

* * *

Meiji High. Possibly one of the most prestigious schools in Tokyo - heck, even in all of Japan, I suppose. It's renowned not only for it's high level of academics, but also because of it's high level of everything else. School clubs included. 

Kenpo club included.

Yeah, everyone says that kenpo is outdated and old fashioned. Why don't I take up something like karate, or tae kwon do? But I - I have done kenpo for a _very_ long time, and I'm not going to give it up just because it isn't widely popular. Kenpo has been something I've loved all my life; the subtle movements, the varied sub-styles, and just...well, _everything_ really. 

Jiya has trained me for all these years, but despite still kicking my ass every now and then, he _is _getting old. Besides, he's always specialized in the tonfa; and despite my predilection for my kunai, I want to begin learning how to use the kodachi. Such an elegant understated weapon! Old fashioned, but, there's something so cool about it anyway. I've always rather liked things from around the Meiji Era. I must have watched too many samurai movies when I was younger.

Oh yeah, I was supposed to tell you what cutting my hair has to do with Meiji High. Sorry.

Right, I love kenpo. Just so you're sure. I really love kenpo. But the problem is, no one wants to fight me. Not only am I a girl, I'm a skinny short one. Despite being in first year senior high this year, most people would place me in being first year _junior _high. Even after making it into Meiji, the instructor would take one look at this little girl in a short skirt, and laugh his head off at the thought of my joining their elite team. Besides, even when I fight guys, they always tend to go easier on me. Oh well, I've only got about ten gazillion years of evolution working against my chances of a fair fight. 

But if I were a boy...Well, I can pass as a boy if I have to. Long hair aside (and I've taken care of that now haven't I?) I'm not exactly bursting with womanly attributes. But as a boy, even a short one, once I showed my capabilities...I would have more chance as a boy then a girl, wouldn't I?

So here we are, me with my blunt scissors in hand, and Jiya with my lopped off braid at his feet, spluttering.

"Misao-chan...b-but, a BOY? They'd let you on, do you know how awkward things would be boarding as a BOY?"

Eh...One detail I neglected to think about. Meiji is actually some distance out of Tokyo and it's incessant distractions; about a half hour drive from the outskirts of the vast city. So, it's a boarding school, but most students go back on the weekends, and holidays. Boarding would be a problem...but I was sure I could work it out. 

"It'll work out, Jiya!"

He spluttered a bit more. "What about baths!? Getting changed!? You'd be discovered within the first day! Going swimming? A male room mate!?? How are you going to get around it, Misao?"

I thought fast. Swimming, showers (_public showers) _getting changed, a -

A male room mate? Eep.

Receding into the distance was the kenpo club, buried under a mound of day to day practicalities.

"Ano...Uh...I'll just get up early, and change! Um...showers, showers...I'll have my shower later or earlier as well...Swimming..."

I was out of inspiration when utter genius struck. I clapped my hands together. "To pass as a boy, I just have to make sure no one sees me naked, or with a bare chest! So, Jiya can just write me a note saying I've got scars or burns or warts or something, and I don't want to gross everyone out! Yeah, that could work!"

"Misao..." Jiya was at a total loss for words. I grinned at him. He had been defeated.

"So, I can go?"

* * *

My name is now Makimachi Masaru. If anyone makes any connection to Jiya or the actual me (it _is _a small world you know) I'm a cousin. I've studied kenpo under Jiya. I want to learn the kodachi. It had taken a lot longer then I had thought for Jiya to be convinced that I would be able to pull off being a boy, so I was now transferring in in the middle of Term 1. I had yet to meet my room mate. He was a senior, and had one of the few double rooms that only had one occupant. I could only hope that he wouldn't be too annoyed at having a roomie now. 

Ah! Mou! The guy I had asked had told me the gym was two left turns, then right, past the bridge and then the next right turn! Club would _over_ by the time I got there! The only thing I could see around here was the administrative offices I had been to just before going to my room. I scratched irritably at my sweaty neck; I was much too hot, wearing not only the boys high collared coat, and white shirt, but also a sleeveless top and the bandages that bound my chest. So annoying! I could have passed for a boy without them, but Jiya insisted. If I saw that spiky haired chicken head that had misdirected me I would kick him all the way to Kyoto. At least I knew what he had found so funny now.

"-I'm sorry for the inconvenience Shinomori-kun, but the boy is quite insistent on wanting to be on the kenpo club, and his grandfather is quite influential. I do hope the kenpo club will not suffer as a consequence. As captain, you'll simply have to take up any slack."

"A~a."

"I'm sure you see the faculty's predicament. I sent him off to your room - he said he would be going straight to the gym afterwards."

"A~a. You said his name was Makimachi, sir?"

"Mm."

I turned a sharp one-eighty degrees at the sound of my name. Jiya had done WHAT? The idiot! The moron! How could he, he _knew _I wanted to get in by myself! I was frozen in fury for a moment, longing to wring the neck of a certain old man. Mou! I began to storm down the hallway to where the phones were, and set some things straight.

Of course, I crashed right into the mysterious kenpo captain. 

It was like heading straight into a brick wall. _He_ wasn't moved at all, but I fell down, to sprawl at his feet wondering what the hell had just happened to me. Did the walls move in this school? My gym bag holding my kenpo uniform slid from my grip, and went sliding down the corridor. I groaned in vexation. What an incredible impression to make on the captain! Well, yes sempai, my grandfather used his influence to get me on the team, and I'm the girl - uh, guy who crashed into you the other day, but I'm going to be a real asset to the team! I was doomed before I had started. 

"Are you alright?" 

His voice surprised me. Yes, incredibly, I had managed to forget he was there. My idiocy had struck yet again. "I'm fine," I hastily reassured him, getting to my feet, and dusting myself off. Meanwhile, he quietly retrieved my bag.

"Makimachi?" He read off my bag, sounding slightly startled. 

"Ah!" I exclaimed. "Eh...I'm Makimachi Masaru. Pleased to meet you, sempai." Ahhhh, he already knew who I was! Doomed...

"Shinomori Aoshi. Here." He handed me my bag as I rose out of my bow. 

And I got my first good look at him.

He was tall.

Okay, my brilliant powers of description have failed me once again. He was tall. He was good looking. 

Ah! That just doesn't describe him properly you know? I don't know how to capture the way he looked at me; sizing me up, the blue grey depths cool and distant, strands of black hair shielding his face. I don't know how to describe how small I felt, looking waaaay up at him. I only came up to about his ribs! His eyes were blue, or grey, or green, his hair was black, and he had fair skin. There, that takes care of his colouring. I could tell there was nothing but slender bone and muscle underneath his uniform; he was well muscled, but one of those more leanly built types. He had nice shoulders. Heh.

Of course, at this sight, my heart beat began to pound. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I was MASARU! A boy! I couldn't afford to react like stupid Misao at the moment!

"So, you want to join the Oniwabanshuu?" His tone was utterly neutral.

Oniwabanshuu...that must be the name of the kenpo club. Cool...

What could I say? It was probably best to get it out in the open. It was pretty obvious I had heard their conversation; I had been right next to the door. Besides, that annoying look in his eyes was starting to get to me. He didn't know me of course, but just that...It was like, ugh, a little spoilt rich boy, forcing his way in on who he knows, not what he knows. It made me mad. Jiya was rich. It didn't really impact on me that much usually. Money was good, and a necessity, but it wasn't important. But the way those cool blue eyes looked at me...Well, I lost my head, in typical fashion.

"I didn't ask my grandfather to clear the way for me. Part of the reason-" _All of the reason "_-why I came to this school was the challenge of getting into the kenpo team! Nothing will happen to the school, or you if I don't get on! I want to earn my way fairly!"

I realized I had been shouting. I lowered my voice, as my cheeks reddened. "Shinomori-sempai."

He gave me another of those considering looks while I scowled at my feet. Then he shrugged. "Let's go to the gym." He passed me in the direction I had just come from. 

My head jerked up. Was this...Was I going to finally get a chance to prove my skills? I ran after him.

* * *

The mats were spongy and soft underneath my feet. I sized him up, noting the easy balance, and the powerful upper body strength. With him being so much taller then I was, I would have to be careful. I would have to be either in his range - but then he would be able to grab me - or completely out. I would have to weave in and out, and that could get very tiring. I would have to play on my small size, and (hopefully) superior speed.

He was waiting for me, so I began.

What can I say? I showed off. To be fair, I _was_ cautious at first, but he was so obviously expecting me to be soft! The way our heights were, I couldn't help, so instead I either stayed down low, or jumped. I had been able to jump to a height others seemed to find remarkable, so I used that skill now, managing to get my kicks about level or above his head. Yes, at first he simply used the most basic blocks, but I took glee in making him use increasingly sophisticated ones. He wasn't attacking though - that was a _very_ bad sign. Was he that good?

It was when I was using one of my more showy difficult moves for the second time that he struck. I admit, I was showing off. I already said so! The move required me to be on my hands, then arc off them straight into my opponent's chin. It required upper body strength, flexibility, and great timing. I was already tired - it felt like I had been trying to beat up on Shinomori for eternity, with absolutely nothing to show for all my stunning moves, and I could feel the tell-tale tremble in my arms as I launched myself. Instead of hitting him, he caught me neatly by the ankles.

Not a good feeling.

Hanging upside down brought all my belligerence back up, and I nearly arched myself in a complete circle trying to get a fist or my head in his belly. But my ankles were narrow enough - or his hands were big enough - to hold my ankles in one hand, and catch my wrists in the other. 

Spontaneous applause made me twist my neck around painfully to see the far wall, and to my dismay I saw a sizable crowd had just witnessed my crushing defeat. Crap. Shinomori dropped me none-too-gently, and I hit the mats with a loud groan.

"Oi, oi!" I heard a loud obnoxious voice exclaim. "Not too bad, not too bad at all! And you managed to find your way to the gym..."

I knew it! I knew it had to be him! Anger and frustration, with a good dose of humiliation churned in my stomach, and gave me a good shot of energy. I knew in my gut that there would be no way I would be let on the team after being beaten so pathetically. I rolled to my feet. "YOU!"

He grinned. "I didn't expect that the next time I'd see you you'd be trussed up like a weasel!"

"A-a-a weasel??" I spluttered.

"Hmm," a boy nearby said, long dark hair confined by green headband. "I thought more like a rabbit myself."

"No way, Katsu," the rooster head said firmly. "Definitely a weasel."

I could feel my blood pressure escalating. "Better a weasel then a chicken, rooster head!" I spat. "KECHO GIRI!!!!" I launched myself into the air, and connected with his head before landing solidly on my stomach half on and half off the mats. Ouch. Moving before the pain properly registered on Misao yelping scale, I surged to my feet, ready to kick him the groin, punch him in the gut, hell, even bite him. Anything to wipe off that smug look on his face. A weasel! A ferret! Argh!

However, before I could launch an attack, strong arms had already pinned mine back. I struggled, and wind milled my legs, but to no avail.

"Makimachi-kun."

I immediately stopped struggling at the note of command in that quiet voice. Oh crap. 

"I will not have any members of the Oniwabanshuu making a scene by brawling with Sagara. Understood?"

_Members..._

I went slack in his arms from surprise and utter joy, and he let me drop to my feet. I could feel a wide, utterly well..._genki_...grin stretching the corners of my mouth to their fullest. "Sempai! Thank you! Thank you so much! I'm going to try my very best!" I would have flung my arms around him out of sheer gratitude (And no, not for other reasons) but remembered that I _was_ supposed to be a boy. I settled for grinning even more idiotically. 

Shinomori-sempai looked a little uncomfortable at my display of delirious joy- I could see it from the way his eyes dropped and narrowed slightly. "A~a." He turned to the other curious people in the gym, although only about six others wore the kenpo uniform. "Everyone, this is Makimachi Masaru."

* * *

_Author's Note: Yes, this fic is like a storyline from a typical shoujo sports manga. Hehehe. Pairings will be fairly canon, though I may meddle if I feel like it. It won't be just A/M. But it will centre mainly on Misao-chan. Umm...this might be a bit off the wall, because I was kind of in a weird mood when I wrote it but...all I can say is "SUMIMASEN! GOOOOMEN NASAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" in Fruits Basket Okami style. Well, next chapter will probably be from Aoshi-sama's perspective._


	2. Part 2: The Swordsman of Legend

Maa, it had already been two days since the new boy kicked Sano in the head, and he was still ranting about it. I let his voice drone on and on, receding into the distance. What a strange boy Makimachi-kun was! "Such fierce eyes," I murmured softly.

"-Kicking me in the head, and calling me that name! How dare - Uh, did you say something Kenshin?"

I turned and waved my hands in denial. "Not at all, just thinking to myself, that's all."

"Hmph! That girly faced boy - kicking me in the head! Hasn't he heard of the almighty _Zanza?_ I just might beat him up after school one day."

I spluttered, then regained control of myself, remembering the lightning quick match between Aoshi and Makimachi-kun. "Sano...if you're going to beat him up, just do it. But you might have more trouble then you think."

"Jeez, Kenshin, I wasn't really thinking of beating that runt - eh? _Just do it..._What happened to the usual 'Maa maa, calm down' treatment?"

I smiled sunnily at him. "I think Makimachi-kun can defend himself. Especially when he has Aoshi to back him up."

Sano deflated immediately. "Yeah...that brat actually got accepted in Shinomori's prestigious omnitsu group. Who would have figured?"

"Ah...Is this senior English class?" A light voice asked from the doorway.

Sano's head jerked up, and mine followed suit more slowly. "YOU!" Sano bellowed, shoving his chain over as he leapt to his feet.

Makimachi-kun blinked. "Oh...morning rooster head."

"ROOSTER HEAD? YOU BRAT I'LL-"

"Sano!" I jumped to my feet, and ran in front of him, firmly grabbing his fists. "No. Bad Sano." Sometimes talking simply to him worked, although it pissed him off later.

"Kenshin," he growled. "Get out of my way." He began to slowly push my hands down; in brute strength Sano was my superior, and I didn't particularly want to pull a low blow to my best friend right now. Before he could pull free though, a math textbook flattened him.

"I don't see why you're so indignant over that name, rooster head. It really suits you. Ohohoho!" 

"Megumi..." Sano croaked, lying on the floor, stars in his eyes. Then he was on his feet again. "Damn fox, stay out of this! It's none of your business anyway!"

"Maa maa, Sano..."

It was going to be a long year.

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 2: The Swordsman of Legend

* * *

I stopped off by the kendo club again. I know it's a stupid thing for me to do really, because my uncle will never let me join. Besides...I'm too strong, in all honesty. It wouldn't be fair to the other students.

I know all of this...So why was I there again, peering forlornly through the gym windows?

The captain, Kamiya Kaoru was drilling everyone. "A hundred more swings! Then pair up, and spar!"

"A hundred!?"

"Do it!"

"Oi! Busu!" A young boy with a shock of black spiky hair called from the back. He was lying quite comfortably on a stack of mats. "Give them a break! Not even dad makes his students drill as much as you do!"

"Ya-hi-ko," she says in a deceptively mild sing song voice. "GO HOME!"

"I want to, busu! But it's Friday, and dad sent me over to your dumb school on the fringes of civilization to make sure you came home!"

I smiled. I have seen that exchange thousands of times. The boy is Kamiya-san's younger brother, Yahiko. Their father is the master of a fairly well known dojo. I've even come up against some of his students in the various tournaments Shishou is always entering me into. I sighed then. I wish I could be in there, helping other people learn. The boy to my far right keeps gripping his shinai wrong. If he parries a hard stroke, it will go flying out of his hand. Other then that, he has the potential to be very good. Nicely balanced. I sighed again in mute frustration.

My mobile phone rang suddenly. I fumbled it open.

"Baka deshi! Where are you?"

"Ah...school still. I had a research assignment for history, remember?"

"Pick up some milk on the way home. And some sake too! And don't forget we're sparring tonight! The tournament is closer then you think!"

"Alright, alright. I'm coming home now." I snapped close the phone, and took one more look through the glass. I guess teaching is not destined for me.

* * *

The tournament...Why am I still competing in it? There's no reason for me to anymore - Perhaps I should just retire as reigning champion. But something within rebels at that. There's a paradox in me - I don't really want to fight, even though I love doing it. I don't want to keep on going, but my pride won't let me just vanish from the arena. If only someone would defeat me! But then, I would probably want to beat them. I'm a very strange person, sometimes. When it comes to fighting, on every issue, it's like I have two opinions about it. One half of me wishes to keep on fighting forever and ever. The other half just wants to be normal.

But the fighting has been something I've done since I was a child. I've been practicing Hiten Mitsurugi under my uncle - well really he's my godfather, but I just call him uncle- since I was five years old. 

But at school, I can be reasonably normal. The only person who knows is the captain of the Kenpo club - Shinomori Aoshi. And how does he know?

Aoshi first met me in the arena. 

Because the tournament...ah, it may not be as you think. The tournament is not a competition where you have a referee calling the shots. No, not at all. The tournament is a remnant of older, bloodier times. All it is, is your opponent, his weapon, and you and your weapon. The arena is about a hundred by a hundred metres. First person to fall unconscious, or get knocked out of the ring, is defeated. There have been a very few deaths in the tournament. No one speaks of them, no one reports them, because everyone who knows about the tournament knows it isn't legal anyway. It's so secret there isn't even a name for it. But there hasn't been a death in many years. All of them were before even Shishou's time.

I defeated Aoshi twice. Each time was just by a second. If I had done something else, or he had...the last time, someone had slipped him drugs. He had been half berserk, and I had had to actually cut him down to stop him. We both received our different scars from that horrific match. The drugs had given him strength yes, but his mind was clouded. Without his calm, I could read every move he made. And so, I defeated him, and remained champion.

We haven't spoken of that time since. We were both out of school for a few weeks while we healed. When we came back, we just went back to our everyday roles, with no mention of the darker sides of our lives. It's strange...but somehow as our normal selves, we're friends. 

I don't know if he'll enter again this year.

Sometimes I think I could tell Sano, but the tournament is something he'd love to enter. And therefore I don't tell him. He could get hurt. I've faced off with people who have almost tried to kill me, and nearly came close. I don't want Sano involved in it. His skills are pretty good, but he is still naive. He thinks there is such a thing as a fair fight. And maybe in this world there is. But in that world...

So I don't tell him, even though I know he suspects something. We don't talk about it though, or about my mysterious bruises and cuts.

On the way home I pick up a bottle of milk, and sake. I hide the sake bottle before going in the house though. Shishou finds it and gives me a dirty look. When we spar, he has his revenge.

* * *

On Monday morning I woke up, bruised and aching. And late. My clock reads 8:05. I rushed out of the house stuffing books in my bag, and still buttoning up my shirt. Shishou was still blissfully asleep, a large lump underneath a rumpled pile of black and red bed clothing. I entertained thoughts of throwing water on him, but decided against it. I was already late enough.

I managed to arrive at the front gates just as the bell rang. I was pounding down the corridor, when-

WHAM!

"I'm so sorry Kamiya-san!"

I bowed deeply, then helped her up. Her, and my textbooks are scattered everywhere; and she looked as out of breath as I do. She was also late?

"No, I should be apologizing, Himura-kun. Sorry, I was just in such a rush..." We sorted out our books. My shirt was still half open, and she gasped when she saw the livid bruises Shishou kindly decided to decorate me with. 

"Himura-kun! What happened? Is someone picking on you? If someone is..." Her deep blue eyes narrowed, and she fisted her hands. I choked, at the thought of her going up against Shishou.

I think Shishou would lose. I began to almost laugh, then stopped myself, producing a series of odd noises.

"Are you alright, Himura-kun!?" She sounded positively frantic.

I waved my hands, and attempted to control myself. "I'm fine, Kamiya-san. And these are nothing." I quickly buttoned my shirt up the rest of the way. The second bell rang, and made both of us jump. Homeroom was about to begin. 

"Yah!" she yelped. "Ah, this'll be the third time I'm late this week! Bye Himura-kun!"

She rushed off, and I smiled. _Is someone picking on you?_ Kamiya-san is such a kind person.

* * *

_It's no wonder she asked me that_, I thought as I looked at my reflection while washing my hands in the bathroom. They were sticky with glue and ink - we had been editing the school newspaper, cornily named '_Tales from the Meiji Era'_. Don't blame me, the teachers thought it up. Editing the paper is part of the responsibilities of being on the Student Council. It's all fairly tedious and responsible. Aoshi was washing his hands next to me.

I'd been thinking about Kamiya-san's words all through school. I guess I do look like a bully magnet. Sano spoke of Makimachi-kun's girly face - well, I have a fairly girly looking face as well. And Shishou insisting I wear my hair long if I want to be a proper _kenkaku_ doesn't help either. Still, no offense meant to Makimachi-kun, but he may be even prettier looking then me, which is a rarity. 

Still, do I look so weak, that people would be picking on me? Well, I guess we do have our fair share of bullies in the school. I sighed. I've had to fight a fair few, but not since first year. They learnt to leave me alone after that.

"Sparring again?"

"Just a bit of sparring with Shishou. He was paying me back for hiding his sake."

"A~a."

We exited together, and headed for the gym. "Himura," he said suddenly. "Are you entering the tournament this year?"

"...I think so." I replied quietly. "And you?"

"I don't know." He was quieter then usual after that. I wondered if I should have asked.

Inside the gym are his Oniwabanshuu, already changed and ready to begin. I have known Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shikijou, and Hannya for as long as I've known Aoshi. They have also competed in the tournament, and against me at one time or the other. However, Shiro and Kuro are purely school members. And the new recruit, Makimachi... 

He was almost dancing from foot to foot in anticipation. Aoshi was amused - I saw the corners of his mouth lift almost imperceptibly in the slightest of smiles. I looked at Masaru-kun again. He really does look like a girl just looking at him. Big wide eyes, the long lashes...I shook my head. Many people have said the same about me. 

"Sempai!" he yelled. "You're late!"

* * *

I don't think Aoshi should enter the tournament anymore. Not because of his skills - but because now he seems so much more at peace just being the captain of Meiji High's kenpo club. He is a very patient teacher - and I think Makimachi-kun is already beginning to improve already, just from a couple of days under his tutelage. That says a lot about teacher and student, doesn't it?

"Excuse me."

I turned around, and plastered a friendly smile on my face. "Yes....?" The soft voice belonged to a girl I had never seen before, even though she was wearing the school uniform, and she looked so familiar to me... Her long black hair was neatly bound back in a smooth coil, but long strands swung forward to frame her luminous face. Pale skin...and deep...black..eyes...

"Do you know how to get to the Meiji Junior High campus? My brother attends it...and I would like to see him."

"Ah...of course. It's probably..uh..easier if I just show you the way, rather then tell you."

"That's very kind, but I don't want to inconvenience you..."

"Ah! It's no bother at all. I'm Himura Kenshin. It's nice to meet you." I bowed clumsily.

"It's nice to meet you too, Himura-san. My name is Yukishiro Tomoe."

* * *

_Review replies:  
  
**Jason M. Lee: **Hai hai, I'm calm, I'm calm, GOMEN NASAI, SHINPAI SHINAI!!!!! Ehehehe. Right. Must cut down on watching Fruits Basket. No I haven't forgotten 'Forgotten' (hahah, a pun - yeah I know I'm lame) but it's really hard writing it! I'm soooooooo stuck it isn't funny. Maybe it's because even though I've researched a bit on the net, I still don't know that much about Japanese history? Oh well, I'm about half way through writing the next chapter, but it's not going anywhere. Maybe I'll go back to the last chapter and tamper with that so it flows a bit better. This one is a LOT easier to write then Forgotten and Furimasu; both of them are all angsty._

_**DiaBlo: **I'm afraid I haven't seen Hanazakari no Kimitachi e before! But I like reading this type of manga - well, actually I like reading most types of manga. *grins*. Yup, Misao-chan will have a hard time; I'm going to be horrible to her. MWAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!_

_**lebleuphenix : **Aw shucks. What can I say when someone compliments me? I clam up and go red....uh...I may have disappointed you this chapter, I thought Kenshin's ...'voice'? Narrative? Was a little OOC, but I didn't know how to make it sound more like him, or indeed, more like an actual guy. He was a bit...hmmm._

_**Crystal:** The idea of Misao posing as a guy while around her Aoshi-sama amused me. Hee hee. And I've kept on going! _

_**Person who did not leave a name: **GOOOOMEN NASAI!!!!!! I have fixed it now! As well as a few other annoying errors. Despite proof reading and spell checking some little things do escape me. My problem is I tend to read it as I thought I put it down, rather then how I actually typed it. The second time I read this chapter I realized that half way through I had switched to present tense. Argh! I had to go through and fix everything! Would anyone like to be a beta reader for me? I'd be willing to beta read for them._

_**K-chan: **Thank you!!!!!!!!!_

_**len: **Sorry len, I know it's confusing, but I didn't know how to write it in any other way. That's just sort of the way it turned out. So it got clearer? Anything you're still confused over, please tell me, and I'll try to fix it._

_**Kyme-chan: **Voila! I have written more. Heheheh...When Aoshi finds out she's a girl...I have a few different versions for that, and I'm still trying to settle on which one will win. Wait and see...it should be fun._

_**Tiian: **I'm sprung! I too read W-Juliet. I think it would be harder for a boy to pose a girl, then a girl a boy. W-Juliet's not my only source - there are a few others where people dress up as the opposite sex and all sorts of running around and confusion results. I really like W-Juliet too though, and one called Power!. Yeah, the beginning is really confusing. Sorry about that. I'm not too sure how to fix it though. Advice would be greatly appreciated._

_**Megami no Ushi: **Thank you! I have to admit, I have actually not read a Tamora Pierce book, though one of my friends is rather fond of her. Ah! I got complimented, I got complimented on my style!!! *grins like a maniac, while reviewers slowly back away* Come back! Where are you going!?And I'm glad I don't sound like a thesaurus, I don't really like using one. They can help sometimes, but most of the time the words don't mean exactly the same thing, which is why they are different words._

_Author's Note: Un, this story should update fairly quickly, as it's actually rather easy and fun to write. It may be subject to my odd mood changes so...you are warned. And since it is my fun story, I probably won't be doing any particular research into it. And I know almost nothing about martial arts, so please don't kill me if I do something wrong with it! I don't know how popular kenpo is, or even if it's still practiced anymore. So...yeah. Anyone who would be willing to be my beta reader will receive my undying gratitude, and willingness to return the favour. Thanks for all the reviews, they make me feel special. Heehee._


	3. Part 3: Two Sisters and the Girlyman

Waiting for busu is the absolute pits. Every damn Friday I have to take the train out after school to her school, and wait around while she bellows at her students and beats up on them with her bokken. Meanwhile my stomach reminds that I haven't eaten anything since lunchtime. Then, when her dumb club is finally over, I have to still wait and wait while she showers, and dresses. Then there's the half hour trip back home, and most of the time I feel like I'm going to keel over from hunger. Not to mention that Yutarou, Tsubame and everyone go out on Friday nights, and I'm always left out. 

Waiting for her really stinks.

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 3: Two Sisters and the Girly-man

* * *

Stomach 3, Yahiko 0. I think dad would be able to hear my stomach from Tokyo today. Kaoru's practice ran late - it was already dark. I absently slapped at a mosquito that landed on my arm. My shinai was digging into my back - I myself had kendo practice today. I slung it off my back, and lazily began to swing it.

"Watch where you swinging that, boy."

My head jerked up at that sneering tone. Boy! The guy couldn't be more then a year older then me, with rough untidy black hair, and really pale skin. "Say that again," I challenged, rising smoothly to my feet, and assuming the first stance.

"Watch where you swinging that, boy." He smirked. 

That was enough to make me come forward in a rush, shinai arcing over my head, a blur of pale brown as it came down with all my strength on that smug face-

He caught it between his hands. I had time to feel a brief flash of grudging admiration -_How did he do that?-_ when my shinai was wrenched out of my hands, and that jerk snapped it over his knee! My shinai! That I had saved up and scrimped for! True it wasn't the best...but it certainly wasn't the worst! "Why'd you do that for!?" I bellowed.

His only answer was another damn smirk.

Yelling incoherently, I charged him, fists and legs flailing. He went down with that smug look no longer intact, and we were exchanging quick flurries of blows - that one to the eye would hurt him tomorrow!- when suddenly someone was breaking us apart. I was being held firmly by the front of my shirt, suspended mid-air as was he.

"What are you doing, Enishi?" the guy holding us both asked. He sounded slightly incredulous, and not a little irritated.

"None of you business, Kiyosato!" the guy I had been tussling with snarled back. Looking at the guy holding us I thought I recognized him...yeah! Third row, second across. Kiyosato Akira, one of my sister's protégés. No wonder he did kendo at school - at his age he was so unskilled even I could have beaten him. Wait, that came out wrong. He was so unskilled, Yutarou could have beaten him. There, that was better. No, it wasn't. Maybe Yutarou couldn't have beaten him.

It's strange how your mind can go off on tangents like that.

They were yelling now - the guy I had beat up and Akira. 

" -just because you're going out with my sister doesn't mean that you can tell me what to do!" With that, the guy _bit_ Kiyosato! Well, they did know each other. We were both dropped, and we scrambled out of the way, setting off at a run to resolve our unfinished business. 

We rounded a corner and had hardly begun, when again we were separated - by another guy! "Oro?"

I would have bit this person, stranger or no, because it was so damn frustrating, but he was smarter. He had us both by the scruff of our necks not the front of our shirts. "Aren't you Kamiya-san's and Yukishiro-san's younger brothers?"

I looked at the second guy who had caught us, and nearly choked as I replied. He wasn't that much taller then I was, and he had all this long girly hair. In fact, his face was pretty pretty too. Hah! "None of your business, girly-man!"

Thwack!

"Oro!"

"Yahiko! Apologize to Himura!"

I should have known. _Now_ she shows up. "Why should I busu!?"

Thwack! Down came her bokken again. "Because he is not a girly-man. And he's one of my friends."

This, I felt was severely unfair. She got to hit me, and I couldn't even defend myself properly at the moment! "Fine....I'm sorry, girly-man. You having to be one of Kaoru's friends and all."

Thwack!

"A..a..." His eyes were pretty wide as he watched the fast paced exchange of words, and the one-sided exchange of blows between me and Kaoru. The other guy was watching with a kind of weirded out expression as well. 

"Yahiko! Why is your shinai outside the gym in pieces?"

That brought the whole reason why I was fighting back into my head. "'Cos this jerk broke it!" I wriggled, and jerked, and wind milled my legs, but to no avail. Girly-man was a lot stronger then he looked.

"Maa maa!" he exclaimed. "Please calm down, Kamiya-san. I'm sure you and Yukishiro-san can settle matters peacefully."

We looked at each other from our vantages at the end of his arms. 

"I don't think so."

"No way!"

"Enishi!"

A stunned guilty expression spread over his face, replacing that horrible smirk. "Neesan..." his voice was choked, and rather panicky.

"Enishi..." She was a genuine lady, with really long hair pulled back from her face. Her dress was a light lavender colour, and made of some gauzy material, and the shawl looped over her arms some heavier darker material, of deep purple. There was no way in a million years I could imagine busu in those kind of clothes, or looking as fragile. The pale skin that looked funny on her brother just deepened the impression of deliacy and it was luminous in the light. She was...really something. The guy from before, Kiyosato was hovering protectively behind her. 

"Neesan..." He looked horribly guilty, and I could feel girly-man slowly relaxing his hold on us, and bringing our feet down to the ground. 

"Enishi...you promised. No more fighting..." She looked so sad! A fight was nothing to get sad over! Kaoru and I brawled all day, and if I got into a fight at school, she gave me tips on how to win it! If I hadn't already of course. I rarely needed busu's advice. 

Enishi hung his head. "I'm sorry neesan."

"Enishi. It isn't me you should be apologizing to."

He turned to face me, very slowly. "I'm sorry Kamiya-san. I'll bring you a replacement for your shinai." A quick grin flashed over his moblie features, and I groaned inwardly. A 'replacement' for my shinai, huh?  
  
"And I apologize to you as well...uh, girly man." 

I snorted with laughter. His sister, and Kaoru, and Kiyosato looked horrified. But girly-man just laughed. "Don't worry about it Yukishiro-san. I apologize as well, for detaining you and Kamiya-san."

"Ah...I thank you Himura-san." The sister. She bowed slightly to him. He bowed back, and I almost snorted. Trust people from this school to be this stuffy. I didn't care how good dad said it's clubs and academics were, there was no way I wanted to come here when I reached high school!

"Kaoru! Let's go home, I'm starving!"

"Yeah, yeah." She shouldered her bag. "Thanks, Kenshin. Sorry about the disturbance, Yukishiro-san."

We went home, and spoke of dad, kendo and what was for dinner. Waiting for Kaoru on Fridays might have been a pain in the ass, but at least she understood what a fight was about. And at least she didn't make me apologize. Enishi's sister was very pretty, but her manners and way of speaking were just too strange.

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry it's so short! That's just the way this chapter was though. I couldn't help it. There wasn't much plot, but I'm just trying to pull everyone together. I know, I know, it wasn't Misao and Aoshi either, but the next two chapters should be of the pair. I promise I'll make them nice and long. And it should be amusing and even harder then usual for Misao to cover up she's a girl in the next chapter. Let's just say, she's seeing red...I see many people were shocked by the appearance of Tomoe - why? I really like her; she's one of my favourite characters. So live with it! _

_Review replies:_

_**Jason M. Lee: **The history I'm stuck on? Just stuff about Kenshin's whereabouts, how public I can go with the fights, and the Shinsengumi. And Okita's attacks. As a matter of interest, is it Okita Soushi, or Okita Souji? I've seen it as Souji everywhere, but in the OVAs and series, everyone says Soushi! ANd oh yes, there will be chaos, although Enishi has black hair in this...hee hee._

_**len: **Wait and see!_

_**Crystal: **Yay! Someone likes Tomoe!_

_**Bumblebee-Queen: ***tears in eyes* oh...thank you. A/M is one of my favourites, but in all the fics, Aoshi is so MEAN to Misao!!!! He doesn't act like that at all!!! After this, I'm writing a nice waffy A/M involving Okina pulling suitors out for Misao, and what Aoshi does...Similiar plots? Where? Tell me, cos I'd like to read them too! Fight club? I guess...but it's not really based on that. And a shower scene...you hentai! (Maybe)._

_**Nye-Yen: **Yes sir. Sorry this chapter is so lacking in content._

_**Tiian: **Thank you! I rely on all you faithful reviewers to tell me if I'm going off on a bad tangent in my stories. Tomoe is one of my favourites too._

_**blue-eyes: **Thank you! _

_**Star-chan: **I continued! Do I get to live?_

_**amy, dynast: **You and everyone. And I still haven't read it! Does anyone know where I can get it, online, or on streamload?_

_**Kyme-chan: **You liked how it mirrored the series? Phew. I thought some people might think it was boring. _

_**Vesca: **Why shouldn't Tomoe be there? She's part of the RK crew too. I like Kenshin with Tomoe and Kaoru. His stories with both of them are too sweet. And I like Tomoe too much not to put her in. Sorry there wasn't any A/M action in this chapter, but...soon! I promise! _

_**tenshineko: **Did I do an alright job on Kenshin's thoughts? They weren't too girly were they? There may be K&K..._

_**lebleuphoenix: **Yeah, it surprised me to switch to Kenshin, but that's just how it was. It was supposed to be Aoshi. It was supposed to be him too, this chapter, but it ended up being Yahiko. Aoshi is the chapter after the next; I've even written the start of it, and about a quarter of the next chapter already. Misao. Kenshin may suspect slightly, but he's such a trusting guy..._

_**saicho-18: **Yeah, I know there is a distinct lack of A/M action, but it's happening! It will come! There won't be a traditional love triangle between Kenshin and Tomoe and Kaoru, but Kenshin will have some sort of relationship with both girls. _

_**Sano: **The second chapter was way better? Really? I guess it has a bit more depth to it, but it seemed awkward in a lot places to me....this chapter must be pretty disappointing though. Sorry. The next chapter should be heaps better._

_Thanks to all you reviewers! Your comments make me really want to write, as I know people are actually reading this story. Thank you! Please don't lost interest - I know this chapter wasn't very good. Gomen ne? Next chapter should be entertaining as we return to Misao's doings._


	4. Part 4: Being a Girl

"Here you are, Misao-chan," Omasu handed over the exquisitely arranged lunch tray to me. The was a closed bowl of rice, another of miso, fish, tofu, seaweed, and of course tea. I smiled slightly sheepishly as I accepted it. 

"Thanks, Omasu. I could never prepare something like this."

She waved me away. "Don't be silly. Besides, your Aoshi-sama should be glad to get whatever he gets, shouldn't he?"

There it was again. For the last few months I had been sensing a slight animosity against Aoshi-sama from not only Omasu, but Okon, Shiro and Kuro as well. I simply shrugged, and smiled helplessly. "Aoshi-sama has more important things to do then worry about what he eats."

She clucked her tongue lightly. "If it weren't for you, I don't think he would eat." I fidgetted, uncomfortable, and she took pity on me. "Go on. Give him his tray before it gets cold, okay?"

I grinned my thanks. "Okay. Thanks for preparing the tray again, Omasu!" I carefully carried it to Aoshi-sama's room, brushing disaster a few times as the tea threatened to slop out of it's cup. Everything was deadly quiet except for my noisy footsteps. Well, I would fix that soon. I opened the sliding doors with a foot. "Good afternoon, Aoshi-sama!"

He looked up, and my heart ached to see the sharp line of his cheekbones running to his the chiseled edge of his jaw. He really was too thin...Even with my nagging him to eat all the time. And he didn't belong in that ratty old yukata - Aoshi-sama belonged in his omnitsu gear. He still looked strange to me not in it. I tried not to let my concern show, but instead plastered a smile on my face. "Hey, Aoshi-sama, did you hear the story of how..."

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 4: Being a Girl

* * *

I woke up with a start. As usual, Shinomori-sempai had already left our room, his bed immaculately made. I stretched lazily, then rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. What a peculiar dream! I could remember something about my cousin Omasu, and sempai, and Jiya and Himura-san had been mixed into it as well...Aoshi-sama. Why had I been calling sempai Aoshi-sama?

I shrugged it off as simply another weird and wonderful product of my bizarre mind, then flung back the covers, and attempted to get out of bed. Well, it was more a fall out of bed, but at least I got out. I stood up, hauled off the tangled bedding in preparation to straightening everything up, when to my horror, I saw...

A big red stain.

Crapcrapcrap....I flung my blankets back on the bed, scrabbled at the back of the my cupboards for a pad, grabbed my uniform and a spare pair of underpants, then made a beeline for the bathroom. My pajamas were...well, let's just say they needed a wash now, huh? I jumped into the shower, and gave them a hasty rinse that got rid of the obvious signs of a bloodstain, cleansed myself, then hurriedly changed into my clothes. It was lucky that no one was in the showers this morning - I gave the bath a longing look, but I wouldn't be soaking in that for about a week. I would just have to bear all the aches and pains kenpo gave me.

After I dumped my stained pajamas into the laundry, I took stock of my sheets. Hopeless. I pulled them all off my bed, and snuck off to the girl's laundry, which was thankfully deserted as well. I checked the clock - everyone would be in assembly currently. I would have to say I had slept in this morning. I scrubbed out the worst of the blood, then tossed everything into a washing machine, and left it to run. They were only school sheets - I took out a fresh set from the cupboard, and made up my bed. By the time I was done with everything, first class was just about to begin. Maths, first thing in the morning too. Ugh.

My day passed in utter discomfort. It was around third class - senior English - when my cramps first hit. I tried not to whimper too loudly, but ended up almost doubled up over my desk, clutching the area around my stomach. The teacher was coming around with worksheets, when I knew I had to go to the toilet right then, or I would be in serious trouble. I stood up so abruptly, my chair fell over. "Excuse me sensei! I have to go to the bathroom!"

Without waiting for her consent, I rushed out of the room. I had spent much of the lesson hunched up on the toilet, when someone banged loudly on the door. "Oi, weasel! Sensei wants to know when you're coming back."

I managed to squeak out, "Not now."

I heard the shuffle of his feet. "Jeez, what's wrong with you, Makimachi?"

"Stomach ache," I gasped through my teeth. Right now, my lower back was killing me, and I could feel that every muscle below my stomach was unbearably tight and knotted. 

Being a girl really sucks!

"Uh, maybe you should see the nurse or something. You could really be sick, or something."

I let out a short laugh, that sounded like it could be weeping. "Concern from you, rooster?"

A short pause, and then he snorted. "Come on. Let's take you to see the nurse."

I groaned, but got off the toilet, flushing before I left. Sano watched me laboriously wash my hands while half hunched over. To his credit, he didn't look one bit amused, even though I imagine I must have looked quite funny. Then he steered me quite firmly towards the sick bay, while I sweated, and tried to formulate a plan that wouldn't include telling the nurse that I had my stupid period. Why, oh why was it so heavy now? Usually they passed through with only the minimum of discomfort, and were over within four days or so. True this one was late, and I had skipped the last one, but...

"Yeah, he's got a bad stomachache."

That was Sano, talking to the nurse, while I was trying my best to unhunch and look normal and healthy.

"I see."

Wait a minute, that was a male voice! Not the voice of our school nurse!

"It's really lucky you're here today, Dr. Genzai. He looks really sick."

Eeep! It was the school doctor! But maybe that was better - a woman would think of period pain first with stomach pain. Maybe Dr. Genzai would think I had gastro or something...

"Well, let's take a look at him."

Dr. Genzai was a comical looking man, half stooped over from age. His hair was snowy white, and he smiled somewhat foolishly at me. "Good afternoon, Makimachi-kun. Sagara-kun tells me you're not feeling well."

"I'm fine," I gritted from clenched teeth.

"If you say so. Let's just have a quick look at you - you're sweating a bit, and you look rather pale."

"I'm fine, doctor. Really."

If he examined me, he would have to take off my bandages, and that would rather prominently proclaim my true gender. Sano stared at me with narrowed eyes, and I began to sweat a little more. Did he suspect?

"You idiot!" he yelled. "You're worried that you'll miss kenpo practice today, aren't you?"

I hadn't even thought of kenpo yet. I blanched at the thought of someone kicking me in the stomach today. 

"I knew it!" Rooster head declared. "You are such an idiot!"

"B-but," I stammered. This was too good an opportunity. "I need to go everyday! If I don't go, Shinomori-sempai might kick me off the team..."

"Idiot! He won't do that! Shinomori's reasonable."

"B-but..."

* * *

I ended up arguing my case to Sano too well. So here I was, wishing someone would just kill me and put me out of my misery, changed into my kenpo uniform, assuming the position against Shinomori-sempai.

This wasn't going to be pretty. I had been under Hannya's tutelage for a few weeks, and I knew sempai expected me to be improved. And I was improved, but right now I just wanted to drop to the gym mats, curl up into a little ball, and whimper in agony.

Sempai moved out first, in a fairly straight forward left right combination. I managed to dodge that, while my body complained loudly. What I didn't expect was the swift kick he dealt out to my poor stomach as I dodged out of the way. Waves of agony spread out, but I managed to flip back onto my hands, and back off, while my spine felt like it might snap into two.

A sudden wave of irrational anger hit me. How dare he spar with me like nothing was wrong, when I felt this bad! Couldn't sempai tell I was in pain? Didn't he care? Of course not, he was a _male_ and he could never ever know what pain I went through _every single bloody month!_ Of course, I conveniently forgot, or selectively ignored the fact that everyone - including the object of my ire - thought I was a boy. 

I surged forward, feeling my anger pulse through my poor aching body. All of Hannya's teachings suddenly seemed to connect, and I knew I _had_ learnt a lot. But for all my improved techniques, I still couldn't break through sempai's guard, not even for one blow. I snarled my frustration, and I cringe now to think of what happened. I completely lost my head. My blows became increasingly wild, and in the end Shinomori-sempai didn't even have to try to block me. While I lunged forward in a vicious punch that would have hurt had it hit, he stepped to one side, then casually hooked my ankles out from underneath me with a well-placed foot. I hit the gym mats hard - and stomach first - and tried not to let the tears leak out of my eyes.

"That. Was terrible."

I cringed at the complete lack of emotion in those three words. There was no disapproval, surprise or anger present, just a simple statement of facts.

"I had thought you better then that. Hannya reported back favourably, but now I wonder if his judgment was clouded."

At this I shot to my feet. That was unfair, and completely untrue! I wouldn't get - Hannya - in trouble too....  
  
With a groan I doubled over, and fell back on the mats. I saw surprise, and then concern flicker briefly over sempai's face, and then he was kneeling next to me. "Makimachi-kun? What's wrong?"

"Stomach ache," I croaked. My eyes were scrunched up, but I could feel a warm salty wetness oozing through them, and could only pray that sempai wouldn't notice. That first blow, and the fall had really _hurt...._

I more sensed then saw his brow furrow in mixed irritation and alarm. "I don't expect members to fight when they're ill. You should have informed me, Makimachi."

I could only curl up on my side and quietly whimper. 

He sighed. "Come on. Let's take you back to our room. Do you need help?"

I nodded pathetically.

The trip back was nightmarish. I was supposedly leaning on sempai, but I think he more carried me back to our room. If I hadn't been in so much pain, I would have been mortified and worried at being in such close contact, but as it was, I simply buried my head on his shoulder, and tried to concentrate on anything but the pain. He managed to juggle me while unlocking, then kicking our door open, and then dumped me in bed. I immediately curled up into a tight little ball, while he tucked the sheets around me. 

"Do you need to throw up?"

_I wish. _"No."

The bed creaked and gave way, as he sat on the lower unoccupied half of my bunk. "Do you need to see someone? The nurse?"

"No."

"Do you need anything?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"....Just shoot me, and put me out of my misery."

Yes, I know that was a silly and melodramatic thing to say, but at that moment I was fishing for all the sympathy I could get.

* * *

The week passed, and I struggled through it. Kenpo was firmly cancelled for me that week; I was allowed to watch, but that was all, until I 'got better'. I stayed away from classes for the first two days, but eventually dragged my ass out of my room, because sempai kept coming back between his classes to check that I was as well as could be expected. It was very sweet of him, but very inconvenient. Plus, his constant checking was making him late for every subject.

And so the next week dawned, with "Masaru" Makimachi fully recovered from his "stomach flu", ready for everything, and anything.

Or so I thought.

* * *

"Makimachi-kun!" Kamiya Kaoru exclaimed, as I walked through the door, bright and early on Monday morning, looking only moderately sleepy, compared to half-dead. "You look so much better!"

I smiled. "Thanks Kaoru-san." 

I had met Kaoru while we were both supposed to be cleaning the classroom. It deteriorated into me throwing blackboard dusters as an example of how to properly throw kunai and other sharp pointy things, and her using the mop ( the wet dripping mop ) as an example of how to properly swing a shinai. It had ended with both of us in detention, and then on scrubbing-the-toliet duty for two weeks. Ugh. Boy's toilets...aren't really that different from girls, except for the ones on the wall...and the things that they keep on flushing down them. Anything from sandwiches to the daily bulletins. 

She grinned back. "We were-" a gesture to the general huddle of people around the front of the classroom around her. It included a rather odd mix of people draped on various chairs and desks, first, second and third years. "-talking about the this weekend's interschool athletics. You'll be there right? You are fully recovered now, aren't you?"

Before I could stop her, Takani Megumi firmly grabbed my chin, and placed her other hand first on her own forehead, then on mine. She then proceeded to examine my eyes, ears, and other facial features, then feel the pulse on my neck and wrist. "He seems healthy enough." A few other people, including Himura Kenshin, rooster head and his friend Katsu, peered at me in 'concern.' 

I gave them all my best disgruntled beady-eyed glare. "I'm fine, thank you."

Megumi simply smirked, and let me go, while the boys badly concealed their amusement at her mothering. "Glad to hear it."

I turned back to Kaoru-san. "I think I should be. I don't see why I wouldn't be there."

She smiled. "Great! I heard that the kenpo captain was going to be missing, so I thought maybe your whole team might not be competing."

I snorted rudely. "Yeah right. Over our dead bodies. Besides, I hadn't heard anything about Aoshi-sama not being there."

Himura shrugged. "Aoshi said that he had some sort of family function on, that his parents insisted he attend. But he'll only be missing Saturday. Kenpo's scheduled for Sunday, so it should be alright."

"Really?" I blinked. "He didn't say anything in club."

"I was going to tell everyone today, since you'll participating in practice, Makimachi-kun."

"Ah!" I started in surprise, then turned. "Oh, good morning, Aoshi-sama."

My words came out in dead silence, and not a few eyebrows were raised. Of course rooster head commented on it first, picking up on something I hadn't noticed I was saying.

"'Aoshi-sama', weasel? Since when did he become your lord and master? Or are you part of his fanclub?"

I went bright red, as I realized just what I had been calling sempai. "Ah," I floundered for a suitably cutting reply, but my mind had gone blank. And it was of course two hours later when I thought of something reasonably good. But at that moment, I settled for trying to change the subject. "What fan club?"

Sano grinned viciously. "A whole bunch of first and second - hell even some of the third year girls - set up the "We Love Aoshi-sama" club. You should see them trailing after ice-man here, stars in there eyes, and lust in their-"

Himura delicately interrupted him. "They all refer to him as 'Aoshi-sama.' But I think you're the first person out of it to call him that."

I slapped on my best cheesy grin, and rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Come to think of it, I think I have seen those girls. I must of heard them calling sempai 'Aoshi-sama' and it must have just stuck in my head. Sorry, sempai!"

Until then he had been even more silent then usual, but as I turned to address my apology to him, I noticed that...he was blushing? He was! His eyes were slightly averted to one side away from everyone, and the slightest hint of red tinted his cheekbones. If his skin hadn't been so fair, I don't think I would've noticed it. And of course on seeing it...

"Sempai, are you blushing!?" It came out more as a yelp of surprise, then a properly delivered tease, I was that shocked.

"No," he said quietly, but firmly. Everyone else, however, was studying him now. 

"You _are,_" Sano said, a wide smirk slowly blossoming across his face. "You _are,_ Shinomori! So you're not completely made out of ice!"

Everyone was quietly chortling by that stage, even me, though I felt a twinge of pity for poor sempai. He retaliated at Sano by giving him so black a glare, rooster head should have dropped dead. "Aren't we supposed to be organizing this weekend, not discussing this sort of thing?"

"But it's just so interesting -"

"Sagara. Shut up."

* * *

We were stuffing around in the Common Room after school - Katsu had smuggled up his DreamCast, and was proceeding to bash everyone up on Soul Caliber - when The Head of the Maths Department, The Most Feared Teacher in school, Saitou Hajime himself, darkened the door way. Controllers dropped from suddenly sweat stricken hands, and we waited in guilty silence for the verdict.

"Makimachi. There's a phone call for you."

With that he vanished, and we all exchanged incredulous glances that we had gotten off that easily. I climbed to my feet, while the game was slowly resumed, then shut the door behind me. The 'telephone' room was down the hall, and I picked up, then assured that secretary it was in fact Makimachi Masaru, and I would be happy to talk to my grandfather. She disconnected herself, and I nervously glanced around, then closed the door. And wedged a chair underneath the doorknob.

"Hi Jiya!" I chirped, after I was done checking out the security.

"Misao-chan!" he warbled happily.

We exchanged the usual kind of conversation, him repeatedly asking about my health, if anyone had found out, was I alright living with all those rough boys, was the kenpo club really all that good? I assured him, that I was fine, no, no one had found out, or even seemed to suspect ( the fools! HAHAHAHA! ) , and no, the boys were alright, and yes, the kenpo club was worth it, and that I was learning a lot. From there, it proceeded to talk about my studies, and about how my cousins were.

At first I was surprised at where the conversation was going, but then I began to suspect. He was lingering too long on how we hadn't seen Omasu and Okon in _such_ a long time. "Jiya," I finally growled. "Get to the point."

He gave one of his ridiculous old man giggles, then sobered up. "Well, Misao-chan...the thing is..."

"Yes?"

"I promised Omasu that you would be coming home on the weekend, and they and your aunt are having a family gathering and everything...."

"Jiya. Out with the rest of it."

"Well...Misao-chan...that is...I sort of told them about what we were doing. You know, you pretending to be a boy and all."

I dropped the phone. Distantly, I could hear Jiya's voice squawking, "Misao-chan? Misao-chan!" But all I could think of was _disaster._ I wouldn't object to Okon and Omasu and my aunt and uncle knowing. What I did object to was the entire neighborhood knowing. And believe me, once Omasu or Okon knew, _everyone_ would know. Both of my cousins, while beloved, are notorious gossips. 

Numbly I picked the phone up. Jiya somewhat dubiously reassured me that both of them had sworn to keep the gossip behind their teeth. Somehow, the very doubtfulness in his voice did not calm me. We spoke some more, but he sensed I was somewhat shellshocked, and cut his ramble short. I hung up, and was on my way back to the Common Room, when I realized that I had agreed not only to go to Omasu and Okon's 'family gathering' but it was this weekend. As in the weekend of the Interschool Athletics.

Everyone in the Oniwabanshuu was going to kill me.

* * *

_Author's Note: Phew. *wipes brow* There, was that long enough to make up for the incredibly short third chapter? Anyway, things should start coming to a head in the next chapter. Was this chapter alright? I wasn't too sure if it flowed properly. And no, this ISN'T going to be a reincarnation fic, I just felt like Misao having a dream. I was going to have a lot of weird stuff happening, like Sano actually turning into a rooster, and her teeth falling out, but (hey, some dreams _are _weird) it ended up being easier and nicer to have something fairly coherent._

_Review replies:_

_**Nye-Yen: **Yes Ma'am, then. Sir is an unfortunate habit of mine. There, I got back to A/M, hahah! _

_**DiaBlo: **Thank god someone knows. I was thoroughly confused over poor Okita-kun's name._

_**saicho-18:** I would like the rest of "Forgotten" (that's the title) to be readable as well. Only it...kind of isn't. It's really not my fault! The next damn chapter simply will not write! I'm slowly wading through the knots though - so please bear with me. This fic is much easier - I don't have to dabble into history, I can simply stick with what I vaguely know, and make up the rest. Hehehe. But rest assured, I am still working on my other fics._

_**+killua+ : **Ah, a fellow A/M addictee. There, I wrote more._

_**JML: ***grins*_

_**Crystal: **Yay! Another Tomoe-fic author! I promise to read and review as soon as my internet speeds up again._

_**Vesca: ***evil grin* Well, technically, Kenshin was Tomoe's before he was Kaoru's...*is hit by truckload of vegetables from raving K/K fans* There may not be strict pairings...Things are so much more interesting that way, are they not? Heheh, I rather enjoyed writing Yahiko's comments on Yutarou. Those two are just so funny together!_

_**lebleuphoenix: **Meiji High isn't an all-boy school - the girl's and boy's dorms are separate, that's all. And yes, she does have a roommate - if you read the first chapter, it should say somewhere. Her roommate is none other then Aoshi! If you think it's weird that a first year is bunking with a third year, it's because Misao transferred in in the middle of the term. Or something like that. And Aoshi had a double room to himself. "Another" chapter with Yahiko's POV? ???? There may be a subplot; this fic has more of them then I know what to do with. Aoshi's POV should _finally_ be the next chapter._

_**Sano: **I made Tomoe passive, because a lot of the time, she does seem to be fairly passive. Then out of the blue, she'll throw out one of those really cutting comments that make Kenshin's head hurt. Heehee. Well, the next chapter should have a lot of action in it. _

_**dynast: **YAY!!!!!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! Oh, yeah, I have to e-mail you. Gomen! I _will_ e-mail you my account! Thank you so much! I will not take the lazy way out, and post it up here in hopes that you're actually reading this. I reallyreallyreally want to read hanakimi. I just have to force myself to sign in, and write...ehehehe, um, can it wait until my internet becomes fast again? Thank you!_

_**blue eyes: **Sankyuu!!!!!!!!_

_**tenshineko: **Doesn't Enishi _always_ have anger management problems? Ah, now that I read the sentence, it does seem a little unclear. I changed it to "No wonder he did kendo in school..." Is that clearer? Hmm, Misao is getting closer to being unmasked any day now...should be fun. Tokyo Crazy Paradise, huh? I'll have to check it out._

_**Mai: **Ah, thank you! Was this chapter long enough? It's something in excess of 3000+ words. Although I'm aware that many authors push out even further, I don't think I can. It's exhausting writing and re-reading even this much for me! Yeah, having messy (or non-existent) paragraphs really bugs me, so I try to keep mine as organized as I can, although it gets kind of confusing sometimes..._

_Thank you for all the reviews! Please keep on giving me feedback - it really helps if I know exactly what I have to fix up._


	5. Part 5: All in the Family

After living with him for these last weeks, all I can say is that Makimachi Masaru is a very strange boy.

I tend to have to wake up early for the Student Council meetings, so when I go, he's just a tightly curled up bump underneath the covers. Almost all of his classes are with us seniors, despite still being only in first year - and even those are peculiar. Alright, English I can perhaps understand; his is almost fluent, but why maths, history, geography and science? The school seems to have waived several rules for him, including on the uniform. He doesn't have to get changed with the rest of his class for PE, and he doesn't do swimming. He has his shower when the rest of us are in prep. The supposed reason is that his upper body is covered with burn scars from a fairly recent accident, but that doesn't sit right with me. People with scars tend to ignore them after a while.

I should know shouldn't I? My body is covered with scars from the tournament. No one stares at them anymore. They never did, in fact. Nobody cares enough to be even curious. As it should be. The people who knew me enough to care, already know how those scars were received.

But Makimachi-kun's behaviour is utterly mind-boggling. His books and papers are constantly scattered across our room - yet his clothes and toiletries are always tucked away. And all of his clothes and shoes - not just school clothes, are brand new. He washes his hair every night, even though it means going to bed with wet hair. And then he complains loudly about it.

I just can't figure him out. There's no real reason to suspect anything; he's a very open person, and just ask one question, he won't stop talking. Yet I feel like he's hiding something. 

Makimachi...Even the name is familiar. I just can't place it. But it will come back to me eventually.

For now, I have a kenpo club to run.

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 3: All in the Family 

* * *

"AOSHI-SAMA!!!! AOSHI-SAMA!!!!"

Gulp. 

I stepped out of the classroom anyway, and kept my expression bland. There were ten girls from first year, all of them with a predatory glint in their eyes. 

I was in trouble.

"Ano....sempai," the one in the lead began, blushing furiously. "T-t-there's a dance at the end of term..." 

I was in _so_ much trouble.

"A-a-and we were wondering if Aoshi-sama would like to come with one of us." She smiled, then awkwardly fluttered her eyelashes. I tried my best not to wince. Okay, what was the best way to politely refuse them all without making anyone cry?

"SEMPAI!" 

I looked around at the direction of the loud cry. Several of the girls did too, while unsuccessfully trying to smooth out expressions of annoyance. It was Makimachi-kun. He charged (bravely, but insanely) right through the girls. Most of them were taller them him. He grabbed my wrist, then dragged me out. "Sempai, Himura-sempai wants to discuss the problem in classroom 2-E with you. He says it's really urgent!"

"A~a. I better go see him." I quickly beat a 'strategic retreat.' Oh all right. I ran away.

By the time we got around the corner, Makimachi-kun was grinning widely. I narrowed my eyes at him in mock-suspicion. "Did Himura really need to see me?"

His grin grew, and his eyes widened innocently. "Nope."

"A~a. Thank you."

"You looked like you were in a bit of trouble. Do they do that all the time?"

"Un."

"Must be nice to be so popular..."

We were walking down the corridor by this time. I stopped, and looked at him incredulously. "Most of the time, it's annoying, not nice."

He gave me an inquiring look. "Why ever not? Isn't that what most males dream of, being accosted by a bevy of giggling girls?"

I snorted. "I prefer someone with something resembling a brain."

He laughed oddly. "I see." 

We continued on in silence, and I could sense his discomfort like a physical sensation. One hand was up behind his head, and he kept on shooting furtive glances in my direction. I stopped. "What is it?"

Makimachi-kun gave me one startled look, then talked. "Ah...well, my grandfather called me the other day. He said that there was something of a family...emergency back at home, and I had to come home for at least part of the weekend. I know I said that I would help out everyone else in setting things up, but Jiya already said that I would be coming, and he badgered me in to going, and I'm really sorry sempai, I didn't mean-"

"Makimachi-kun. You're babbling."

He shut up, but looked so downcast I couldn't help but smile very slightly. "It doesn't matter. Go home, if you must. Hannya and the others will take care of everything."

He brightened, then flashed me a wide relieved smile. "Thanks, sempai! I'll see you later then!" He sped off in the direction of the dorms. 

I sighed, and ran a hand through my hair. I had better hurry, or I wouldn't make it back to Tokyo until quite late. But first I had to see Hannya, and finish organizing things with him.

* * *

"We'll be straight after the final kendo matches, so we'll have to wait until they clean up. But have the mats ready to bring out straight away."

"As you say, Okashira."

"The judges tables should remain in the same position. Oh, and don't forget to remind everyone to go to bed early, and to drink and eat normally. Remind them to bring water too, but not to drink it just before a match. And-"

"Okashira, we'll be fine."

I took one look at Hannya's exaggeratedly patient expression, and realized just how much of an idiot I sounded like. However, this was only the second time the Oniwabanshuu had competed in this type of tournament. I didn't want any of my members shamed because I hadn't prepared them properly. It was my duty to make sure they could fight with all their skill.

"You're going to be late going home, if you linger much longer Okashira." Hannya told me pointedly.

I nodded. "I'm going then. See you on Sunday."

He nodded, and turned back to enter the gym. I sighed, picked up my bag, then headed to the station.

* * *

Saturday dawned. Father and I spent our morning being stuffed into 'something presentable' by mother, then waiting for her verdict while being surveyed by cool grey eyes. I ended up changing no less then three times at her urging. In the end she settled for something that I could still move fairly well in, which was a relief. I was dressed in long black slacks, and a plain blue black shirt with a jacket on top. Before we left, I grabbed my white trench coat from my wardrobe. Mother shot me a 'look', she hated my trench coat, so I sighed and put it back. It wouldn't be her freezing if it was colder at night. She was dressed quite simply and severely in a high collared slim fitting dress, and father wore one of his customary suits. As we stepped out of the door, mother stopped me to straighten my jacket collar, and run a critical hand through my hair. I endured all of this stoically.

"You need a haircut," she told me fondly. 

"I had one last month," I countered. This sudden deluge of motherly concern was smothering me. For half a year, my parents had been touring around western Europe, and before that, they had been in America, and before that, China...Father's work took them everywhere, and with far too much moving for me to be schooled. So I stayed in Japan by myself. I was used to living by myself, so it was always something of a shock when they came back home.

I almost slid behind the wheel of the car, but father beat me to it, with an amused glint in his eye, but no comment. 

Since it had been six months since they had been in the country, my Aunt Kaori was holding something of a reunion gathering to bring together all her errant relatives. I sighed. Such gatherings were frequently noisy, boisterous, and ended only in the wee hours of the morning. And Aunt would be inviting people from both sides of her family. I brooded quietly on what sort of condition I would arrive at the tournament as, while father and mother quietly talked in the front.

"-Heard that Okina's grand-daughter transferred to Meiji High, Aoshi-chan. Have you met her?"

I blinked. "I'm not sure. What's her name?"

Father frowned - I could see it in the rear view mirror. "Hmm...She was Daisuke's sister's daughter wasn't she, _koishi? _Her name....Everyone always calls her 'Mi-chan', but I think her name is Misao..."

Mother nodded her agreement. "That's right. That was such a terrible time, losing not only Daisuke, but Seiji and Michie like that...She was hardly more then a baby when they died."

I shrugged. "I don't think I've met her. But she would only be about fifteen now, right? I don't know all of the first years."

We pulled up in front of my Aunt's familiar house, and I climbed out of the car gratefully. The back seat had nothing resembling leg room. As we walked up the drive, the door was flung open, and my aunt and two cousins came tumbling out. 

"Kotaro! Yukiko! You made it! And Aoshi-chan too!" I was immediately pulled into several hearty hugs.

"Aoshi," my cousin Omasu told me pouting. "We never see you anymore! You're always at school, or too busy to go out with your stuffy older cousins, aren't you?"

Her sister Okon butted in. "Oh, leave him alone, Omasu. If we mature women in our twenties were seen with such a gorgeous young man of eighteen like dear Ao-chan here, we'd be accused of being pedophiles. Plus, we'd have to beat all his admirers off with sticks. He's just too young to be seen with us, I'm afraid!"

"Heheh, he's not too young for Mi-chan though..." They both raised their eyebrows, and smiled alarmingly. It was rather like being eyed like a piece of meat by several large hungry carnivores. I gave them my customary flat eyed blank look - replying just made them worse. Far better to let them babble their nonsense, then promptly forget about it.

"Speaking of Mi-chan, is she here yet?"

"Of course not. When have you known Jiya to be on time?"

"Right..."

I was borne away on a wave of easy chatter, and resigned myself to a long night. Small talk. I hated small talk. At least aunt Kaori's cooking should make up for most of it.

* * *

Inside was distinctly warm, and I could already hear the low roar of many people speaking. I discarded my jacket immediately, then prepared myself to enter the main room. 

As soon as I entered, I was engaged in various forms of small talk. For most of the time I contented myself with switching my brain off, and communicating in monosyllables. I was soon dismissed as hopelessly introverted, and politely ignored. Most of the people here I was only vaguely familiar with - the only thing we had in common with each other was that we were unfortunately related to Omasu and Okon. I was either about a decade older, or a decade younger then most of the people here.

"Mi-chan! Jiya! How have you been!" I heard the two loud squeals from over a myriad of conversations, but that was not only because of the volume of the cries. Chatter died down, and heads turned. I heard quiet whispers. Nothing like old family gossip.

"-you might be a bit bored, Mi-chan, but at least there's someone fairly close to your age here for once! Hmm...Where'd Ao-chan go, Okon?"

"He's right here Omasu!"

"Whaaaaa.....Where are you dragging me to, you two?"

At the sound of that voice, my head shot up, and I looked with startled eyes to see Makimachi-kun being dragged over to me by my cousins, both wearing grins. But all I could see was him. Or perhaps I should say 'her.' Because...It was most definitely not a boy that was fast approaching me. There was nothing particularly different about her face - but her hair fell in soft locks to frame her face rather then always being pushed back by gel. And she was, unbelievably, wearing a skirt, and open necked shirt. The body thus revealed, while slender, was most definitely a girl's. All I could do was stare in utter confusion, feeling rather pole-axed.

This could not be Makimachi-kun, yet somehow I knew it was. The face, the build, and even the voice was the same, albeit pitched higher then I was used to hearing. But the one thing that convinced me was how easily I read his- no, her expression, the way the large eyes widened fractionally in horror, then darted away, the came back to rest on my face. 

A girl. For almost half a term I had been sharing my room with a girl. Any number of his peculiar habits suddenly clicked into place. He was a she. Masaru-kun was actually "Mi-chan."

It was only through supreme effort was I able to keep my expression bland while our cousins introduced us. "Mi-chan, this is Shinomori Aoshi. He's related to us through mama. Ao-chan, this is Makimachi Misao. She's related to us through papa." Omasu grinned.

"This is actually the second time you've met," Okon interjected cheerfully.

"S-second?" Makimachi-kun stammered, looking somewhat pale.

"I don't expect you two to remember," Okon laughed mischievously.

"It was that summer we went up to the beach-"

"I was fourteen that summer, and you were sixteen-"

"So Ao-chan was four, and Mi-chan was two."

"And they were so cute together! Do you remember how Mi-chan just used to toddle after him? She wouldn't leave poor Aoshi-chan alone, not even when they were eating. He had to be there when Aunt Michie used to bathe her-"

"-change her nappy-"

"-even breast-feed her!"

"Ah, but Aoshi-chan was wrapped completely around her little finger."

"Yes, Mi-chan only had to wrinkle up her face, and begin to cry-"

"And he'd fold and do whatever she wanted."

By the end of this humiliating recital, Makimachi-kun's cheeks had gone completely red, and I could feel a distinct warmth in my own. The sources of our discomfort turned to smile benignly at us. 

"Well, I'm sure you two have plenty to catch up on-"

"-talk about-"

"So we'll see you both later on!"

With that they bounded off, devils in brightly coloured kimono. 

* * *

Silence.

I turned my head slightly to study Makimachi-kun from the corner of my eye. She was sitting with her head lowered, staring at her folded hands. I could still see a definite tinge of rose on her cheeks. Her eyes flicked toward me, and she crimsoned again.

I smiled very slightly. Her embarrassment was a palpable thing, as was her apprehension. Despite her attempts to smooth her expression, it was easy for me to read. _Does he know? Doens't he know?_ Oh, I knew alright. But what I really wanted to find out was why she was pretending to be a boy. And how she was so good at it. Despite her rather delicate facial features, she had the whole school fooled, purely through her boyish manner.

I idly wondered just how she was planning to talk to me, or train, if she went beet red merely by looking at me. And then it hit me. 

Although I had only known him for about two or three months, I didn't want the Makimachi-kun I knew to change. I didn't want his constant flow of talk suddenly hampered, or for him to go red, and tongue-tied whenever he was around me. Because, for whatever reason, no matter how different we seemed, I considered Makimachi-kun to be...

A friend.

And now that things were so awkward, I wasn't sure what to do. Reassurance had never been one of my strong talents, and neither was any sort of subtle talking, so I could let her know I would keep her secret without actually saying I knew. I scowled. All this mental dancing around was giving me a headache.

"O-omasu told me..that Shinomori-san goes to Meiji HIgh."

I blinked. So she was finally venturing to speak. "A~a."

"My...my cousin goes to Meiji too."

So 'he' was another cousin, huh?

"His name...is Masaru."

Her voice wavered between being soft, and being rushed. It was hard to hear her over everyone else's conversations, but I didn't say anything. "I know a Makimachi Masaru," I replied neutrally.

"Mm. Masaru-kun...has spoken of you."

Unlikely, unless she spoke to herself. But despite my sure knowledge that it was him...her, she had me suddenly in doubt. This girl seemed genuinely shy, and she might only be blushing because of Okon and Omasu's mortifying childhood tales. I had never seen Makimachi-kun stammer, even at his most embarrassed. And I didn't know much about her family; there very well could be a Makimachi Masaru. 

Or maybe I just really wanted to believe that, so I didn't feel so stupid at being so easily deceived.

"Aoshi? I should have known you'd be hiding in a corner."

I looked up into my mother's amused face blandly. Misao looked up, the looked back down at her hands, eyes widening. That slight movement drew my mother's attention. "It that you, Misao-chan?" She smiled. "My, you've grown up into a lovely young woman!"

I mentally groaned. What made all relatives say such inane things? My mother was usually reasonable intelligent.

"Ah," Misao blushed even harder if that was possible. "It's been a long time since I saw you, Aunt Yukiko."

"Far too long. Tell me what you've been up to?" Before the poor girl knew what was happening, my mother had settled herself comfortably next to us, and proceeded to give her a thorough questioning. Mid-way, I quietly slipped away, then returned with drinks. They would be talking for a long time. 

"So, Misao-chan, I heard that you transferred to Meiji High. Aoshi-chan goes there too, you know?"

Misao nodded, her eyes huge. I tried to stifle my groans. First Omasu and Okon, and now my mother. Was _ everyone_ going to play matchmaker? True I should expect it from my mother though - she tried to set me up with some friend's daughter everytime she was home. But _honestly..._

"-so what have you been doing at school lately?"

"Well, this weekend is the interschool athletics. I'm expected to compete and all, so we should be very busy and all." I noticed that all the reticence had slipped away from her voice, and she had a familiar focused cast to her gaze. One hand had been brought up in a fist. She looked at it, then seemed to recollect herself, eyes widening a fraction in horror. Then she hastily used the hand to brush back a strand of hair. "Ah, after this weekend, we have some sort of dance, but I don't know much about that."

"Really? I would have thought that sort of thing would be much more interesting then sports," Mother prodded.

"Ah...not really..." Misao floundered. "I mean....it's not very interesting...and I go to lots of events like that with Jiya."

Mother waved a dismissive hand, and almost spilt her drink. "High school dances are nothing like that Misao-chan. Do you have a date?"

"...A...date?" 

"Of course! _That _is what dances are about! Getting asked, or asking a young man to go with you...worrying over your dress and make-up with your friends...then going out, and having a wonderful time!" Mother smiled, her eyes nostalgic. Misao looked bewildered, and not a little skeptical. "But you'll see dear."

Her upraised eyebrows were sending a very clear message to me. _This girl is perfect for you. Ask her out! _I simply stared rather sourly back at her. It was a message I had seen about a thousand times. In order to stave off any more prodding comments, I cleared my throat, and asked my first question of the night. "Ah...So you're competing this weekend? What club are you in?"

The question popped out as the first thing I thought of, but as she remained silent for a few seconds, I realized just how awkward it might be. Her fingers trembled for a moment, then clenched around her glass. "Oh, I'm in-"

And then, somehow, she managed to skillfully spill her drink, so that only a few drops landed on her, none landed on me or my mother, and most ended up on the floor and couch. 

"Oh no!" she exclaimed. I saw her expression of pure guilty relief. "Excuse me. I'll just clean this up." She darted away, presumably in search for something to clean the mess up with, while mother shook her head. Then she simply smiled rather conspiratorially at me. 

"Aoshi. It's obvious you like the girl. Why don't you ask her out to that dance?"

I blinked. That one came a little fast. My only reply was my obviously pole-axed expression. She simply clicked her tongue. "Never mind. Just think about it. I'll leave you two alone."

_I wish. _As bad as it sounded, I was looking forward to having my mother out of the country again. 

Misao came back, armed with a box of napkins. She hadn't been gone long, and very soon everything was soaked up. I helped her pick up the soggy tissues, and she jumped slightly as our hands met. "Eh...Thank you, Shinomori-san."

I took one look at her flushed agonized expression, and took pity on her. "Where's the bin?"

"Ah...Ah! Just this way." I followed her into the kitchen. 

* * *

Dinner was a strained affair. I limited myself to eating and listening, and Makimachi-san seemed to have decided the same thing. If only Omasu and Okon had done the same. 

"So," Omasu started, her eyes betraying mischief. "Have you seen much of Sou-kun lately, Mi-chan, going to Meiji and everything? I hope you've kept in contact with him; he's a sweet guy."

"A...Ano!" Misao exclaimed. "We've talked over the phone...but I haven't met up with him since summer break."

Okon smiled. "Maybe you should ask him to your dance!"

"I don't think so. Sou-kun and I are best friends, that's all."

I picked quietly at my dinner, wordless.

"Ooooh, really? I think he's got a big fat crush on you Mi-chan. He always has!"

"Omasu!"

"Just kidding, Mi-chan!"

"Mou!"

"So, Ao-chan. Who're you taking to this dance?" Okon asked, with a decidedly demonic gleam in her eye. 

I swallowed my food first politely. "No one. I might not even go."

"W-W-WHAT!?" My two cousins screeched in deadly unison.

I frowned at them over the rim of my glass. "You heard me."

"B-b-b-but think of the poor girl who you _could _take! You'd be depriving her of so much!"

"Yes, and she could be sitting right in front of you..."

I resisted the urge to bury my face in my hands. Makimachi-san looked like she was just about ready to die; her face was lowered almost into her dinner plate, and what I could see of it was a definite rosy shade. I sighed in impatience, and set my cup down with an audible clunk.

"Omasu. Okon. That's enough."

"But Ao-chan, you know-"

That was Okon, right before Omasu nudged her in the ribs, and shook her head slightly. Maybe it was because I was giving them the Okashira stare I usually reserved for when facing opponents in the tournament. Or maybe it was the fact that they had finally noticed just how embarrassed Makimachi-san was. Whatever it was, it shut them up at last, and they turned to the more innocuous subject of their own love lives. Thank god. 

And while they were distracted, and the other adults were busy talking to one another, I was the only to see Makimachi-san quietly slip away outside, after leaving her barely touched plate in the kitchen.

After a moment's hesitation, I followed her.

* * *

_Author's Note: Dnn dnn dnn! ( Hey, was the ending actually kind of cliff-hangerish?) Shall I go straight to the scene with Misao and Aoshi next chapter, or shall I flip back to what happened to Kenshin and Co. back at school? Which one? Hehehehe! Kyaaa!!!! 21 reviews for Chapter 4 alone! Thanks everyone!!!! That makes me soooo happy! Argh, this chapter was so long - 4000+ words....*falls off chair* I didn't think I'd ever write so much! Ah, one more week until holidays, and then I can really start writing in earnest! That is, unless I get distracted by my PS2...hehehehe. Oh, and if Aoshi seemed a little callow, and OOC in this fic, well it is AU, and he _does_ have a family. And he is fairly young!_

_Oh, and on **Misao and Aoshi being related.** I know lots of you have already asked that. No. They are NOT related. Ewww....Incest. No. I won't be going for all the angst that accompanies that sort of thing. The family tree is, Okina had a daughter and a son. The daughter, Michie, was Misao's mother. The son, Daisuke, was the father of Omasu and Okon. Their mother, Kaori, is Aoshi's mother's sister. So while Aoshi and Misao are both related to Omasu and Okon, they are not related to each other. Phew._

_Review Replies:_

_**Crystal: **Yup, Misao is really in for it! The confrontation should be next chapter...or the one after it, if I feel like being mean, and writing about Kenshin._

_**me: **Heehee! _

_**JML: ***grin* you weren't too freaked out? I was hoping my male (and I'm presuming you _are_ male from your name) readers wouldn't be too scared over a chapter on period pain. _

_**Shadowmoon: **Read the author's note if you want to know! And, I hope the family gathering was suitably embarrassing enough. But the good part's still to come. Gomen._

_**dynast: **PRAISE TO DYNAST. HAIL THE PERSON WHO SENT ME HANAKIMI. Oh, by the way, Chapter 20, and 21 of Hanakimi is out, at this address. http://fetishlily.net/hanakimi/ Just in case you didn't know! I was considering having Aoshi turn a blind eye on Misao like Sano does in Hanakimi, but that would be direct plagirism, so I decided not to. Plus, it didn't mesh with some of the later scenes I have in mind. But again, thank you for sending it to me!_

_**blue eyes: **Arigato!_

_**Nye-Yen: **YAY!!!! You actually found this amusing? ....Wow. ~_^_

_**Kyme-chan: **Bu-buuu. It _was_ the same family gathering. Gomen. ...It wouldn't be that suspicious would it? I didn't mean that Misao actually fully hugged him or anything...Just that you know when you're supporting someone, and you've got their arm slung over your shoulder? Well, Aoshi had Misao's over his shoulder, and she was just burying her face on the outside of it. Eheheh...The Aoshi-sama stuff is a _little_ suspicious, but still...She, or 'he' could just be very respectful towards their captain, ne? (Oh, and on the reading/reviewing thing, we got a deal. So you had better review!)_

_**Megami no Ushi: ***snickers* I hope for Misao at least she won't be getting her period like that each month._

_**soul: **WAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!_

_**Sano: ***beams* Certainly there will be more about the tournament thing. In fact, Misao will end up being tied up in it as well...hehehehe._

_**selene: **Thank you! _

_**misao034_sugoi-sugoi : **Thank you! You actually felt bad? *grins*_

_**Vesca: **I hate it when it happens. Oh well. It gets dealt with. And Misao dealt with hers rather easily._

_**Aurora: **Arigato! Yes, I promise to write more!_

_**tenshineko: **HAHAHAHA....*doubles over and chokes on evil laughter* Never mind me. Yes, well, her charade is in a lot of trouble. Oh, I checked out Tokyo Crazy Paradise! It's so good! *laughs* Poor Tsukasa..._

_**Emerald: **Wow...Someone found my writing funny enough to laugh at...I mean laugh at it in a good way, not in an unintentionally funny way...Eh? Why was Aoshi blushing? Because everyone was discussing how enough girls are in *LLLOOOOVE* with him to form a fan club, that's why!_

_**lebleuphenix : **Sorry to disappoint you, but I certainly noticed a distinct lack of mayhem in this chapter. I'll make up for it, I promise!!!!! I rather liked the idea of Aoshi blushing myself._

_**Tiian: **Well, Aoshi just figured it out. Nuts. And don't worry about not reviewing every chapter; I'm really flattered that you not only take the time to _read_ this, but that so many people have reviewed more then once! *sniffs*_

_** +killua+:** Aoshi is so cute...My fixation with him simply won't go away...Hehehe...It isn't _that_ suspicious is it? Boys do get sick. (Don't they?)_

_**IYandKH4ever: **Mou! Does it have to be either???? Or can't it be both? Oops, that was a bit snappish, wasn't it? Gomen. It was a perfectly reasonable question. I just get a bit ticked off when people fiercely defend pairings. Alright, it won't really be a K/K, or a T/K, but as I've said somewhere else before, Kenshin will have a relationship of some sort with both girls. And as for Aoshi and Misao being related, read the author's note before the review replies._

_Thanks for reviewing everyone! 21 reviews for one chapter...wow...I can't believe so many people are reading this! *happy teary anime eyes*_


	6. Part 6: Misao's Fall

"Jiya!" I yelled, dancing from one foot to another outside the bathroom door. "What are you doing brushing your teeth now? We're LATE!"

The old man had the temerity to simply ignore me, and keep on brushing. I glared at him while he rinsed his month, cleaned his brush, then yanked out of the house, grabbing keys and shoes along the way. If we were late, _I _was the one who would get chewed out on, not Jiya. 

In the end, we were only about a half hour late, anyway. The street around my cousins' massive house was utterly blocked off by the mass of cars. We parked at the end, and I grumbled incessantly in Jiya's ear, over the miserable pair of high heels he had made me wear, along with a stupid skirt. Why on earth did he make me wear such inconvenient clothes?

The door was open, so we let ourselves in. Almost at once, I was bowled over by Okon and Omasu's twin pronged hug attack. "You're finally here! Mi-chan! Jiya! How have you been!" They squealed. They were both elaborately dressed in light blue kimono, the obis intricately knotted. I groaned inwardly. Small chance of me escaping without them wrestling me into one before the night was over. I would have to make myself scarce after dinner - that was when they would probably strike.

"Yes, yes," I growled ungraciously. "Here at another one of these boring family gatherings."

They giggled, while I eyed them suspiciously. They were _definitely _up to something.

"Well, you might be a _bit_ bored, Mi-chan, but at least there's someone fairly close to your age here for once! Hmm...Where'd Ao-chan go, Okon?"

"He's right here Omasu!"

"Whaaaaa.....Where are you dragging me to, you two?" They had suddenly seized both my arms, and despite their looks, they were bloody strong. I didn't attempt to resist. I was carried bodily across the room, then dumped into the far corner. I looked up...

Oh crap.

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 6: Misao's Fall

* * *

I was so ready to kill Omasu and Okon. My face was so red, I felt like it was on fire.

Sempai, on the other hand, did not look like it was bothering him in the least, all those sly comments they were making. Then, again, he was a guy. Maybe Aoshi-sama was just plain oblivious to it all. 

That's not fair! If I had to suffer through all this embarrassment, so should he!

If only he wasn't there, I could bring them into heel by grabbing one into a headlock, or tripping them, or even just getting really really characteristically _me_ mad. However, because Aoshi-sama was there, I couldn't act like I normally could. There was a small chance that I could still trick him - I hoped anyway. He didn't particularly act like he thought I was Masaru, but sempai was tricky. I had caught him watching me fairly closely through the day. 

So, here I was, closely resembling a tomato, with Okon and Omasu growing ever more obvious with their hints. They were really really trying to get a rise out of me, but there was no way I was going to give myself away just for their satisfaction. Even though it felt like my entire blood supply was going into my cheeks. Mou! The instant I was out of Aoshi-sama's eyesight, they were _so_ dead. 

"Omasu. Okon. That's enough."

I blinked in surprise when my cousins actually shut up. There _was _a god. There was actually someone in this world who could shut them up!

I prodded my dinner distastefully. The stress of the evening had completely taken my appetite away. Besides, while I took my plate away, I could slip off outside, and no one would be the wiser. I'd just climb up onto the roof like I always did. Even if someone came looking for me, they wouldn't see me up there. I casually pilfered Okon's diskman from her room on my way out. I clipped it onto the waistband of my skirt. At least it would give me something to do up there. I began to hum absently, as I sneaked out. 

I climbed nimbly up the drain pipe, and executed a neat flip up onto the roof. It was part of the exercises Hannya-kun had set me on the bars at school. Everyday I had to go through a long tumbling routine with him. True, wearing a skirt while doing it made it rather interesting. I was just glad I had put on a pair of bike shorts underneath. Once I was up, I made my way cautiously to the peak, then stood up on it. The view was the best up here, and I had a long acquaintance with it. It was a good place to hide, except when it was raining. 

_kuchibiru to kuchibiru, me to me to te to te,  
kami-sama wa nanimo kinshi nanka shitenai   
aishite'ru aishite'ru aishite'ru_

I sang out along, first quietly, then rather loudly. It wasn't as if anyone was around to hear me - the noise inside would completely drown my voice out. The moon was very bright and full, and I kept my eyes on it while twirling around a little in time to the music. 

And then I bumped into something. Or rather someone. 

I had enough time to see Aoshi-sama's face - looking amused for one moment, then alarmed - as I wind milled my arms frantically. Then, I was falling. I wasn't shy about it. I yelled as I fell - all that awful yawning space opening up beneath me, and the terribly painful landing that was sure to follow. "KYAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"

And just as abruptly as I had lost my balance, I was jerked out of my fall by a sudden hard grip around my wrist. 

I let out a jagged breath, and whimpered. I was still too far away - or too close if you looked at it from another way - from the ground. I shut my eyes. Heights didn't bother me much normally, but this wasn't normal.

"Makimachi-kun. Calm down."

I cautiously peeked up at him. Aoshi-sama seemed remarkably composed for a man hanging off a roof by one hand while hanging onto my dead weight with the other. 

"I'm going to need both my hands to pull us up. Can you hang onto my legs if I bend them?"

He curled his legs up, so it was more like he was sitting in midair. I could probably hang on pretty easily. "Y-yeah." I moved, then hung on grimly. We swung in mid-air as he grabbed the lintel of the roof with his other hand. I whimpered pathetically again. 

"It's alright," he said calmly. "We're safe. Just climb up over me. It's no harder and much shorter then climbing the rope in school. You made it up to the roof of the gym on your first try, remember? This should be easy for you."

His words reassuring me somewhat, I began to clamber up him. It was better not to think about what I was doing, or just what exactly I was touching, otherwise I would have succumbed to such a fit of blushing, and wouldn't have been able to do it. I reached his shoulders, and he stopped me. 

"Alright. The simplest way to get up is if you boost yourself off my shoulders, and do the flip Hannya taught you like when you got up on the roof before. Okay?"

I worried my lip. "But sempai, are you sure you can take my weight?"

"It's fine."

"Okay." My voice was doubtful. "Here I go."

He grunted a little when I pushed down sharply. I was just heartily relieved I had put on my bike shorts, otherwise I would have shown a little too much. I landed neatly, then scrambled hurriedly to the side while Aoshi-sama pulled himself up. I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding.

Sempai sighed as well, and ran a hand through his hair. I yelped when he cuffed me lightly on the back of the head. "Idiot. You wouldn't be much use tomorrow if you broke your leg today."

I was about to reply, when my mind caught up with my ears. So instead of the snappy comment I was going to make, all that came out was, "W-w-what?"

Very intelligent, Misao.

He simply pinned me with that steady stare. I hung my head while under it, and nervously began to fidget with the sleeve of my shirt. 

"I think it's time for some answers, Makimachi-kun."

I laughed nervously. "Ah...It's kind of complicated, sempai..."

"Uncomplicate it." His tone was flat.

"You'll laugh." I buried my head on my arms. "Sorry, I forgot, you don't laugh. You'll think I'm stupid."

"Masa-... Misao." There was no give in his voice, but I think it was more hearing him say my real name that made me give in.

Speaking very fast, I blurted out, "I went to Meiji as a boy because I wanted to join the kenpo club and I thought it would be easier as a boy, because no one would fight me if I were a girl because they would be afraid of hurting me because they're BIG STRONG GUYS hah! and I really just wanted to improve my skills and fight against someone who'd take me seriously, and that's why I was pretending to be a boy, and you're going to kick me off the Oniwabanshuu right, and tell the teachers right?"

I _always _talk too much when I'm nervous.

There was a mild silence while Aoshi-sama digested my words. I looked at him imploringly, then dropped my gaze.

"...Perhaps I should."

My shoulders slumped.

"But I don't think I will." 

My head snapped around so fast my neck should've cracked. "What?"

" You heard me. I'm not going to tell anyone." My stunned expression seemed to amuse him greatly. 

I could feel my face widening in a grin of pure delirious happiness. I was so relieved that I could actually feel tears in my eyes. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" We almost fell off the roof again when I flung my arms around him. I recoiled almost straight away when I realized what I had done, and gave him a rather sheepish grin, rubbing the back of my head in embarrassment. He didn't really seem to be too upset though, just a little startled. I breathed a sigh of relief. 

Jumping to my feet again, I did a little cheer before Aoshi-sama grabbed me and pulled me down. "Do you have a death wish Makimachi-kun? I think I had better get you off this roof." He shook his head, but the look on his face was the usual almost expressionless look of patient exasperation he always gave me. My heart soared; sempai was going to treat me exactly the same. I grinned at him again. 

"Hey sempai, Hannya was telling me the other day..."

* * *

I spent the rest of the night chattering incessantly in Aoshi-sama's ear. We received some immature giggles from Omasu and Okon when we came back in together and I was talking at my normal energetic rate, but thankfully they left us alone. Poor sempai was stuck with me. He bore it well though, answering with an occasional short comment, or his usual, "A~a." That evening had to be the least boring family gathering I had been too. It was almost a shame when it ended. 

When Jiya was driving me back to school, he kept asking me why I was grinning so much. But it wasn't until I was about to go into our room when I stopped, and it occurred to me to wonder just why sempai had decided to keep my secret.

* * *

Nervous energy coursed through me. I bounced up and down lightly on my toes, throwing a quick flurry of punches at Hannya's hands, according to what he said. 

"Up, right, left, down, left, up, down, left, right...good." 

I wasn't even breathing hard when we were finished. Hannya smiled at me. "Go finish warming up with some skipping, okay? By then, it should be about time for your match."

I nodded. "Right, sempai."

After picking up a rope, I began to skip rapidly, counting the number of swings I could get underneath for every jump. The rope swirled around me, faster and faster, til it seemed I was ringed with a blur of white light.

"Enough. Makimachi-kun, you're up soon."

I grinned at Aoshi-sama. "Okay!" My first real match, my first real fight. I wouldn't let the Oniwabanshuu down. The excitement was starting to burn away all my nervousness, and the hot rush of adrenalin flooded my body. 

"Second match, Makimachi Masaru of Meiji High, versus Hiruma Gohei of Rakinmura High." I recognized Takani Megumi's voice orating outside, and she gave me a discreet wink and thumbs up when I came out. I flashed her a victory sign, but noticed she looked a little worried.

I heard Aoshi-sama draw his breath in swiftly. I turned to look at him puzzledly, then to look at what he was looking at.

The guy I was facing was huge. The arena - laid out of about ten gym mats - looked a lot smaller with him in it. Muscles bulged all over his body, whenever he moved. I watched with a horrified fascination. 

How was I supposed to beat _that_? Joking aside, I only reached about his waist. Even Aoshi-sama was dwarfed by this guy's height.

The guy - Hiruma Gohei was what he had been called - took one look at me and burst out laughing.

_That jerk!_

I scowled. "What's so funny?" I asked aggressively, pitching my voice as low as it would go. It came out as more of a growl then anything. 

That thick-wit simply continued to laugh, hunched over and clutching his massive stomach. I bristled defensively, and decided his face bore a definite resemblance to the gorillas at the zoo, and their hooting closely resembled his laugh.

"I'm supposed to fight that little kid?" he snickered. 

My fists clenched, but at the precise moment I was going to leap in and rearrange that gorilla's face, Aoshi-sama placed a hand a my shoulder. He shook his head at me warningly. I ground my teeth in hopeless anger. But all of a sudden...

"GO MASARU-KUN!!! YOU CAN TAKE THAT LUMP OF LARD EASILY!!!"

"Yeah! GO WEASEL!!! BITE HIM!!!!"

My startled gaze flew past Hiruma Gohei, to where the spectators were seated. Kamiya Kaoru and Rooster head had jumped to their feet and were now hollering encouragement to me, while Himura, Katsu, Shiro, Kuro, Yukishiro-san, and Kiyosato were cheering more sedately. I smiled. Even though I only really knew Kamiya-san all that well, (she was in my class) everyone else was really nice. I was touched that they had come to cheer for me, although on closer thought, Kaoru, Kiyosato, and Yukishiro-san were probably still here from the kendo finals, and the rest were probably here for Aoshi-sama. But it was so kind of them to show their support, and it increased my determination to show them all exactly what I could do. The instinctive fear I had felt at facing someone so huge began to recede.

Without saying a word, I passed by my opponent, and stepped lightly into the ring. Once there, I assumed a defensive position - fists up high, knees bent, my entire body loose but ready for action. I narrowed my eyes. "Come."

Looking less certain, but still with that derisive smile on his lips, Gohei looked to the judges table, where Takani Megumi, and three other people I didn't know were seated. Students from the other three schools competing I presumed. Also seated there was Saitou-sensei, and a stout balding man with a rather genial air about him. I groaned inwardly. Just my luck, to have Saitou-sensei umpiring me. The teachers would be there to call foul play, and the judges would decide.

"Kihei-sensei?" Gohei asked. "Surely...they can't mean _me_ to fight this little shrimp? He'd be massacred!"

The teacher from the other school looked at Saitou-sensei questioningly. He in turn, casually blew out a ring of smoke from his cigarette, (despite the fact that this was a none-smoking area) then, as if reading my mind, stubbed it out. "Shinomori. What do you think?"

I shot Aoshi-sama a fierce glare, one that promised certain death if he forbade me to fight. 

Sempai looked at me implacably. "Makimachi-kun. If I think you're in danger of being badly hurt, I'm pulling you out, no objections. Agreed?"

I nodded emphatically. "I won't let you down."

I think I saw Aoshi-sama smile then. But Megumi had blown the whistle, and I blurred into action. I was going to have to be quick and steady to win this one. With me being so little, Gohei was astonished at my early aggression. I landed a quick flurry of punches, and jumped up for a lightning quick spin kick before dodging out of the way. 

I saw his fist coming at me - but all of a sudden it was like my muscles had turned to mud. I simply couldn't move out of the way quick enough. The full impact of his punch didn't hit me, but what grazed my face sent me spinning to the floor. My face exploded in pain, and I landed in a heap. The Rakinmura side was cheering wildly, and I could hear boos coming from ours. I sprang back up to feet, my cheek beginning to throb. 

The gorilla grinned viciously at me. "Coming back for more, eh?" he jeered, spraying spittle over the ring. 

I sneered back at him. "Your breath stinks."

With that we were back on. He had me on the defensive, and my arms were starting to ache from the effort of blocking his blows. I was steadily getting pushed to the boundaries of the ring. Any further, and he was going to push me right out!

He was open! I boosted off the ground, leading with my right fist in a powerful uppercut with all my weight behind it. Gohei staggered, and then exquisite pain ballooned out from where he had kneed me in the stomach. I was sent sprawling again, and only just managed to halt myself before rolling out of the ring.

"Makimachi-kun!"

Sempai's voice cut through all the yelling. The gym went dead silent. Gohei stepped away from me, smirking.

"Sempai, no!" I yelled. I tried to spring to my feet, but ended up more staggering to them, clutching my stomach. "I can do it! I'm not badly hurt!" I begged him silently not to pull me out. Hannya had hurried across from where he and Shikijo were warming up for their matches. He began to talk rapidly and quietly to Aoshi-sama. I was saved! Good old Hannya.

Finally, Aoshi-sama nodded reluctantly. "Masaru. If you get hit that badly two more times, then I'm pulling you out."

My lips thinned, but I jerked my head in assent. He just had to put the pressure up on me, didn't he?

It was time to really think. He was quick, surprisingly so for a guy his size, but I was quicker. The thing that was cutting down my speed advantage on him was all the time I had to spend jumping up and down. Maybe I should go for his legs...I took one look at those tree trunk like things, and dismissed the idea. But I sure didn't have the power to knock him out of the ring. That left driving him out, or tricking him.

Tricking him.

Hmm. He seemed more like a arm man to me. Most of his defense, and all of his offence was arms, almost like a boxer. Well, he was big enough to be one. I feinted, and even though I had aimed for lower down, sure enough, the fists came out in retaliation. It was a kind of sound idea - not using his legs meant he would never be off balance if he moved his feet well. But using arms almost only had to leave some kind of loophole. 

I had to move faster!

What did Hannya-kun tell me about speed?

_Everything moves to it's own beat. Look at someone when they walk, or when they run, or fight. It's all to a certain tempo._

Trust Hannya to come up with something connected to music. In addition to kenpo, he was the lead violinist in orchestra. He also played the piano, and the saxophone.

_Find your opponents tempo. Then make yours faster then his._

Great idea...If I could sustain that sort of speed. 

I needed a song...Something I could move to! Something that would let me simply dance out of the gorilla's way. 

_aishite'ru aishite'ru aishite'ru_

My eyes widened, and I surged back into the fight. Wild cheers emerged from our stands, as I quit simply being defensive. Hannya had been right. It was so much easier simply to swing and move out of the way now that I had something to move to. I led Gohei out in a slowly expanding spiral, myself nearly always on the inside of it. We were nearing the edge of the mats now; it would only take a little more. I swung, dodged, flipped, sang. It was suddenly easy - It was fun!

I don't think it was particularly fun for Gohei though. For each of his massive swings with the potential to push me out permanently that missed, he grew angrier. His face was growing alarmingly red, and his breath was coming hard. He was slowing down, and his punches, once crisp, were becoming extremely sloppy. I decided to take a chance - with all this moving around, I was starting to feel my breath come faster and harder, rasping in my chest, and tearing at my throat. 

His fist came again. I let it just swing by, the wind of it's passage blowing my hair into disarray. I grabbed his wrist and _pulled._

He fell out of the ring like a pile of bricks.

I stood stock still for a moment, then abruptly sat down.

* * *

"Ow!" I yelped. I glared grumpily at Aoshi-sama. "I think you're enjoying this, sempai."

A perfectly shaped eyebrow rose, but he didn't deign to comment. Or to deny it. He simply continued to examine my face. It was starting to come up with a _lovely _bruise. 

"If you simply agreed to see the nurse, or Genzai-sensei, this wouldn't be necessary." If that had come from anyone else, I would have said they were taking a really sadistic pleasure with telling me this every time I complained. But this was Aoshi-sama. 

"But if I go to them, they'll want to look at my ribs, and my ribs are kind of close to _other_ things," I retorted for what seemed the hundredth time. As soon as my match was over, Aoshi-sama had simply spirited me away from the gym and everyone's exuberant congratulations, and proceeded to nag me about seeking medical treatment in the relative quiet of our room. When I refused repeatedly, he glared at me, and then grabbed my face, and started looking at my cheek. Any resistance on my part ended with him swatting my hands almost absently away.

He took in a deep breath. "Those two hits he got in were nasty, as were the ones you blocked. Your arms are going to black and blue. You were badly mismatched, Makimachi-kun."

"But I won!" I grinned.

He looked very tired when I said that. "Winning isn't everything."

I scowled at him. "Are you _trying _to make me feel bad or something?"

"I'm sorry. You did well."

"But....?"

He sighed, and took his hands away from my face. "The swelling should go down by tonight."

"Sempai." I folded my arms, and imitated his dead pan stare as best as I could.

He raked a hand through his hair. "I...was worried. When you were out there, getting hurt."

"Because I'm a girl?"

Sempai shot me a look. "Partly. But also because...you're new to my team. I worried like this when Shiro and Kuro joined last year too."

I smothered my snickers. Aoshi-sama....like a mother hen over her- er, his chicks...

"Anyway, raise your arms."

I raised them obediently. He prodded my ribs delicately. "Any pain?"

I managed to speak through giggles. "N-no...But that really tickles! Stop it!" I slapped his hands away lightly. 

"You seem to be alright. Amazingly enough." 

I stuck my nose up in the air. "You dare doubt my wondrous talents? Unforgivable!"

He ignored my comments pointedly. We sat in silence for a while.

"Hey...sempai?"

"Hm?"

I fidgeted. "Just why...did you decide to keep my secret?"

He gave me one of his rare half smiles - although I was starting to see them more often for some reason. "Because...Misao. You're a fighter. And I think you deserve to be able to fight."

It took a while for me to process what he was saying - especially since he was looking at me with that gentle smile on his face. But when it did hit me, I could feel my face light up, and I simply grinned happily. Sempai thought...that I...

He cleared his throat gruffly, and looked away. "Anyway, I'm going back to see the other's matches now."

"And I'm going to see yours!" I piped up brightly. 

He rolled his eyes at me while holding the door open so we could exit.

* * *

_Authot's Note: My god, Misao just WON'T SHUT UP!!!! I'll have to write another chapter really soon about her, detailing what happens to her for the rest of this (Sun)day. *snickers* It should be entertaining, and there WILL indeed be a shower scene! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!! Excuse me. But, I really have to get to what happened to poor Kenshin on Saturday. It'll probably be written from Kaoru's POV though - I haven't done her yet! Then it'll be Misao AGAIN - hope you don't get sick of her guys. And then it'll be dear old Ken-san back again. This is going to be a very eventful weekend for the Kenshingumi, so watch out! Ah, the song Misao was singing, in case you didn't recognize it, was "One Half". I think it's the second opening for Kenshin? Or maybe the third. Sorry if the fight scene sucked, I usually don't write them. Did Aoshi's conversion to helping her seem a little sudden? Sorry! And thanks for all your kind reviews again! They really help when you tell me what I'm doing wrong (and what I'm doing right). ^_^_

_Review Replies:_

_**Emerald: **Yeah, my relatives are EXTREMELY painful to be around. Aoshi and Misao haven't really 'handled' their situation - they should in the next Misao chapter. And that's all I'm saying. _

_**DiaBlo: **Is he? I didn't mean to make him dumb - he does realize, but he just doesn't really want to. Sorry!_

_**JML: **Phew. And thanks for the tip about Omasu and Okon - I always get them mixed up. Shiro and Kuro too._

_**Fabi-chan: **Thank you! Hehehe, really? Me too._

_**lebleuphenix : **MWAHAHAHA!!!! Well, enough ficcy authors have left me with a cliffhanger, and I know how much it makes me want to read on. Hope it wasn't too frustrating, and I tried to get this chapter out fairly quick. And of course Aoshi-sama would be observant - he IS an omnitsu, ne? Aoshi-sama is just wonderful *smiles amidst rosy coloured clouds and sparkles* Ahem. Alright, I wasn't nasty, I had this chapter be straight A/M again. There. Heheheh._

_**selene: **Oooh, I could just see those fox ears pop up with that laugh. Well, so far they're going to just keep on going...but who knows what'll happen? Well besides me, and even that isn't certain. Yeah, I'm sure Aoshi-sama is sure to see just how cute Misao can be soon....hehehehe._

_**Gochan: ***faints* YAAAAH!!!! Oh, let me take this opportunity to say that I really LOVE Rurouni's Guide. It's even on my favourites. *nods* Even though I don't review every chapter...*sweatdrops* I think I shall start reviewing every chapter now, because it's really nice when people do it to me. Cool - I was wondering if anyone would pick up on the parallel between Kaoru and Tomoe with their brothers. Plus, I've got more fun with Enishi and Yahiko coming up. Hehehe. So you like the first person POV? I was worried it would annoy people after a while - and also I'm a lot more used to writing third person. So thank you! (And thanks for the nice long review!)_

_**~_~ gucci gal : **Thank you! I love Aoshi x Misao stuff as well, so it's quite enjoyable to write. I love Hanakimi too, although it was writing this fic when someone introduced me to it. Have you read a manga called Power! and W-Juliet, and Tokyo Crazy Paradise and Full Moon wo Sagoshite and Good Morning Call and Parfait Tic? They're all shoujo manga I'm quite fond of reading along with Hanakimi, although only the first three are about girls / guys having to cross dress for good reliable reasons of course. _

_**Dark Fairy and Aurora: **Ah thank you! Yes, calm down please Aurora, I updated, I updated!_

_**Storm bringer: **Arigato! Oh, by any chance, did you get your name from Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone series? I really like Elric and his sword, Storm bringer. But if not, I'll just shut up now. _

_**Noa:** Eheheh...You and DiaBlo seem to agree with one another. Um...I didn't mean to make him stupid, it's just that he doesn't really want to believe it's Masaru. Plus, the lighting is a lot different, Misao was constantly looking down, and she had her hair in her face. Anyway, I'm just making excuses. _

_**Neko-chan: **Thank you!_

_**dynast: **hehehe! Oh, btw, could you actually download anything from that site? By the time I tried to get Chap. 21, it couldn't download anymore, the bandwidth had been exceeded. Oh, I downloaded MSN!!!! I added you to my other e-mail list; could you add me to your contacts? _

_**Carlin: **Hehe, that makes me very happy too. I'm glad one of my stories makes people happy - the others are pretty angsty._

_**blue-eyes: **Thanks for reviewing again!_

_**Kmye-chan: **AWWWWW, poor Aoshi-sama. The deal is still on!_

_**jaded: **Yes sir/ma'am! All updated!_

_**tigerlilly: **Thank you very much! Yup, Aoshi did end up confronting her._

_**saicho-18: **Heheheheh. Really? Brilliant you say? *head puffs and is promptly popped* Ah, thank you!!!!_

_**Fallen Virtue: **I think I may have read some of them. Please warn me if I start straying off the path into the realms of bad fanfction._

_**nekonomiko: **Well, not really a cross over. It just kind of holds some elements of shoujo manga, so yeah....But I really do love Hanakimi. _

_Thanks for all the reviews, people! _


	7. Part 7: Fight!

This was stupid. This was crazy. 

Yet, somehow, some way, I still had to get the gym set up, my people ready, judges in place, in just forty-five minutes! And at the same time, keep an eye on Yahiko! I mentally cursed whatever vengeful god who had decided to make my parents dump him on me today. He was at his brattish best - or should I way worst?

"Hey, busu, you better move that fat arse, or you'll never be ready on time!"

I reined in my temper sharply, then turned around, and smiled poisonously sweetly at my _dear, helpful, wonderful_ brother. "Why Yahiko. thank you for volunteering to carry the judges tables in. I'll expect to see them on the far side of the gym mats by the time I get back."

I left, with him standing there with his mouth hanging open. Despite the verbal abuse he would hurl at me when I returned, I knew that the tables would be set up. He was _my _little brother, after all.

Now, I just had to find the teacher who would be our supervisor. Mou! If only the _teachers_ would get organized - that was half the problem!

"Hey Jou-chan! What's the hurry?"

Then again, idiot students were a large problem too, I guess.

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 7: Fight!

* * *

I just wanted to sleep now. We had only been given the rosters from the other schools on Thursday - so we had a grand total of _one_ day to organize all the matches. Students from Rakinmura, Tokugawa, and Kaio High were coming to Meiji's grounds to compete in any number of competitions. Kendo was going to be a huge part of it this year. I still couldn't believe I had been elected captain - and was therefore automatically on the Student Council. I was only in first year still! Kiyosato-san was in third year, and so were a few others, but he was the furthest along in kendo. Yet, they all voted for me!

Probably to avoid messes like this weekend.

I sighed, and checked my watch irritably. My club members were talking idly, all dressed up in light yellow gi with contrasting charcoal grey hakama. Our supervisor, _Saitou-sensei_, of all people, was leaning back in a chair, chain smoking. Disgusting habit, especially in this day and age. Yahiko was sparring with Aki, teaching the older boy some of his superior skills. I shook my head wryly. He was going to get a big head.

The other schools were twenty minutes late.

Alright! Alright! It might not seem like much, but I had been rushing around school since six o' clock, and I loathed getting up that early. And yet, now when everything was set up and ready _they weren't here._ Argh! I checked my watch again, and tapped my foot impatiently.

"Kaoru-san?" I turned at that quiet voice.

"Tomoe-san!" I exclaimed. It was indeed the rather shy senior. I had known _of _her for quite a while - she often came to see Kiyosato practice - but hadn't even spoken to her once. However, after that episode with our idiot younger brothers, she had opened up a little more. I don't think it was safe to say we're close friends - Tomoe is a very cautious person - but we _are _friends. Shamefully enough, before, I always thought she was a snob. A lot of people do. But she's just incredibly retiring. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to ask...if it's alright to put up these posters around the gym." She held up one to show me, between slim perfectly manicured hands. I glanced down at my own calloused broken nailed fingers, and winced at the contrast. 

The signs were boldly coloured, and read "Come to 3-E's stall in the Quadrangle at lunchtime! We're serving mouthwatering hot dogs, slurp-worthy noodles, icy cold ice-cream and assorted thirst-quenching refreshments. Bring a friend! Bring an appetite!" And then in faint letters grey lead letters below "And bring your wallet!" I barely restrained a snicker. The hand writing looked suspiciously like Megumi's, and she had probably forgotten to rub out the last message before sending the poster off to be copied. Thick lined pictures of various food and drinks were interposed around the text, and I recognized Tsuikioka Katsuhiro's hand in the intricate detail and neat arrangement.

"Sure," I grinned. "You need a hand?"

She shook her head. "It's all right. I don't want to inconvenience you."

I sighed as she delicately stepped her way across to the far wall, and began to strategically blue-tack the papers to the wall. _"I don't want to inconvenience you," _seemed to be one of her favourite phrases. Despite her being taller then me, I often felt too large and rough next to her refined manner and way of speaking. 

I grimaced in distaste for my thoughts, and picked up my bokken. I swung it idly.

"Ouch! Why'd you hit me for busu?" Yahiko spun to face me, dark eyes flashing indignantly. His shinai was sticking out - right into Kiyosato-san's path as he made his way to Tomoe!

"Watch out!" I yelled, stretching out a hand.

Too late. 

It was almost as if I could see it happening in slow motion - Akira's left foot came up, then down, his shin came against Yahiko's shinai, and then he came tumbling down on the floorboards with a bone jarring crash. If it hadn't been so horrible, I would have started laughing at the comically surprised expression on his face. 

"Akira!" Tomoe cried. She flew across the room, and knelt next to him. He came up slowly, his face contorted in pain. His foot stuck out at an utterly unnatural angle.

"If everyone will step this way, we can starte- Oro!" 

I looked to the doorway, and silently groaned. Perfect. Just typical! _Now_ the other schools turn up! And just to make it even more ironic, Himura Kenshin had led them in. I could already feel that really nervous butterfly feeling in the base of my stomach. It _always _happened whenever he was around - something about that red hair and those soft violet eyes made me....I pushed those thoughts away firmly, and avoided looking at the cause of them. 

"Welcome," I said calmly to the competitors. "As you can see, we've just had a little accident. However, we are ready to start, just after we look after this student."

Akira's face looked not only pained, but terribly embarrassed. He sprang to his feet, then groaned as his left ankle gave out underneath him. Tomoe half caught him, but was dragged down by his weight. I knit my brows, then helped them both up, and to a bench along the wall. Sympathetic whispers _and _snickers could be heard from the other students. This was just wonderful.

I took a deep breath, then turned to face the crowd. "Competitors. please line up on the benches to your left. Non-competitors, please be seated on those seats to your right. The first matches for all events," -I checked my watch quickly- "should begin in about two minutes. A bell will signal when you are to start. Will you please pair up as follows..." I grabbed the schedule and list of names from the table. "First match, A team, Mat 1, Kaio's Kishimoto Tezuka Vs. Tokugawa's Okita Soushi. First Match, A Team, Mat 2,Tokugawa's Hijikata Toshizo Vs. Rakinmura's Shishio Makoto. First Match, A team, Mat 3, Rakinmura's Seta Soujirou Vs Meiji's Kiyosa-" my voice faltered for a moment. "Kiyosato Akira. First Match, A team, Mat 4, Meiji's Kamiya Kaoru Vs Kaio's Souma Kazuna...."

I read the first matches out numbly, trying to think of what to do. If we forfeited Kiyosato's match, it meant that Takashi and I _had _to win our matches to keep A team in the running. It counted for something at the end just to have participated, rather then forfeit. I scanned the seats, for a Meiji student that I could just yank out and...

"Himura!"

"Oro? Is there something wrong Kamiya-san?" He looked at me in confusion. 

"Ummm....Can I talk to you for a moment?" I quickly hustled him away, steering us towards the changing rooms. 

* * *

I was so anxious to see how Himura would go in his match, that mine was over in seconds. On his first swing, I captured Souma-san's shinai with the Hadome, and then immediately launched into action with the Hawatari. I felt rather guilty actually when the hilt went smashing into his shoulder, throwing him completely out of the ring. It was bad practice to use my strongest techniques in the first match up, but I had been very quick, and hopefully none of my future opponents had seen the specifics.

It had taken Kaio longer to select their umpires then Tokugawa had, so Kenshin's match was only beginning, while mine had been first. I breathed a little easier, then settled down to watch, crossing my legs easily. 

I groaned inwardly as Kenshin selected the heaviest shinai from the umpire's choices. It was weighted to have the balance of a 'real' sword, not that people used those very seriously anymore. There was no real reason to use a steel blade anymore. But to my surprise, the slender red head hefted it's weight easily, taking up a perfect double-handed grip, and waiting in the ring in perfect stance. My eyebrows rose up incredulously. 

His opponent from Rakinmura, a boy who was even shorter then Kenshin, slim, almost frail looking, with sparrow brown locks of hair softly framing a serenely smiling face with huge brown eyes. He selected a lighter weapon, loosely bound bamboo with a long plastic hilt, wrapped with cotton strips so it wouldn't slip. I gave a little involuntary sigh as he took up a stance opposite Kenshin, sword hilt loosely held, the tip pointing toward the ground. Despite the casual posture of Kenshin and his opponent, I could feel the tension rising in the ring, and neither of them took their eyes from each other, even when they slowly began to circle one another, in perfect balance. Eyes narrowed, faces tense. 

Then Himura flashed forward, feet scuffing against the mats, and I held my breath, waiting to see what he would do.....

......and my eyes popped as he brought his shinai down in one of the most clumsiest, most awkward swings I have ever seen. In fact, the shinai went flying out of his grasp, and out of the ring. His opponent was so startled he didn't even block, and the blow struck on the chest ....and sent him stumbling out of the ring. 

There was a collective shocked silence, and then the murmurs began, leaving Kenshin in the middle of the ring, a very puzzled look on his face. "Oro?"

* * *

Lunchtime! I gratefully dug into my packed bento, ignoring Sano's laugh as I did so. "Stop laughing, Sano!" I glared indignantly. "I've been under all sorts of stress all morning, an-"

"Busu, can I have some money to get lunch?"

I shoved ten dollars at Yahiko. He ran off laughing evilly, but I ignored him. "And I deserve to be well fed! I'm not surprised that the only person who got elected for Kendo Captain was me - no one else was crazy enough!"

Katsu shrugged sympathetically. We -Sano, Katsu, the injured Akira, and I- were all in a shady corner of the quad, waiting for Kenshin, Megumi, and Tomoe to get back from the crowded food stands. It felt strange and too quiet, despite the roar of four school's students, without Masaru's endless flow of energetic chatter, and Aoshi's occasional - very occasional - quiet remarks. I grinned slightly to myself. I had thought about in this way before, but we _were _a pretty tight knit group of friends now. Even though I had only known them for a few months. It was awkward when I was in class - I usually only had Masaru-kun to talk to, but not when he was attending his senior classes. I was friendly with a few girls - Shougo Sayo, and Sekihara Sae and Tae - but it was with Megumi, Tomoe, Masaru, Kenshin, Akira, Sano, Aoshi, and Katsu whom I was becoming close friends with. I guess it was because I spent all of my lunchtimes with them, doing Student Council things, although I had met up with Akira and Tomoe through the kendo club. They had started coming to the Student Council as well, oddly.

"Kiyosato? He's under that tree over there." That loud, familiar voice broke through my contemplation, and I sat bolt upright, seeing Yahiko and Tomoe's little brother unerringly pointing out Akira to Kenshin's first opponent, one Seta Soujirou according to my roster. I gulped. He was coming over, with a very puzzled look on his face...

"Ano...Kamiya-san, wasn't it? I wanted to talk to Kiyosato-san about our match...But those boys over there said that Kiyosato-san was over here." Seta-san was smiling still, looking cutely perplexed. 

Any minute now I was going to sweat blood. _Please-don't-let-us-be-disqualified-please-please-please _was the mindless chant going through my head. 

"Kamiya-san, here's your drink...oro?"

I spun, and slapped a smile on my face. "Thanks, _Akira. _It was really thoughtful of you!" I jerked my eyes toward Seta-san pointedly. 

Kenshin 'oro-ed' again, then smiled widely. I tried not to giggle like a school girl at that, even though I was a school girl and all. "Soujirou, was it not?"

Behind him, to my horror, I could see Yahiko and Tomoe's little brother approaching us. 

"Busu, I need more money."

"Neesan....I'm hungry." Enishi grimaced. "Oh you found Kiyosato, did you?" My heart stopped as he jerked his thumb at the _real_ Kiyosato, who looked just as petrified. Seta-san looked mystified.

"Eto..." I stammered. Ice coursed through my veins. "Oh! Uh...I should introduce everyone. That's Kiyosato Himu- uh, Kenshin, yeah, Kiyosato Kenshin. Him and Akira are brothers, that's why they have the same last name and everything, and that's why Yahiko and Enishi must have pointed out Ak-Kenshin when you were looking for K- Akira!"

I smiled nervously, more a showing of teeth then anything. Tomoe's brother was looking at me as if I had two heads, Yahiko looked like he was about to explode from internalized laughter, and everyone else looked pole-axed. It was all over, I realized. Kenshin is short, with red hair and violet eyes. Akira was tall, with black hair and brown eyes. They looked nothing at all a like. It was over. I was going to have to resign as Captain. 

"Ano, step-brothers, actually." Kenshin smiled again. We were all smiling too much. My face felt frozen into one actually.

"Y-yeah!" I mentally blessed Himura. "Anyway, that's Sanosuke, Katsuhiro, and Megumi. That's Tomoe, she's going out with Akira!" I didn't know where it came from. It just slipped out. I was talking way too much, and naturally landed with my foot in my mouth. Everyone stared at me with round eyes again, except for Seta-san, who was starting to look a little non-plussed behind his polite smile. 

"Um...That's nice..." He replied uncertainly. 

Kenshin - the real one - took one look at Tomoe and went bright red. She had gone red as well, as much as her fair skin could. I swallowed nervously, eyes darting around from Kenshin, to Tomoe, to Seta-san, and back to Kenshin, while an awkward silence reigned.

"Soujirou! It's time to get back." I breathed a sigh of relief, as Seta-san said his good-byes, then hurried after a tall lanky guy with his long brown hair tied up in a messy ponytail high on his head. There was a girl in rather revealing clothes hanging onto his arm, and she turned to greet Seta-san, as they made their way back to the gym.

"I'm so sorry, everyone." I whimpered pathetically. The next round of matches, and tomorrow stretched on like eternity.

* * *

Actually, the other shoe didn't drop until Sunday evening. Everything seemed like it was going smoothly - the kendo grand finale was mesmerizing, between a Shishio Makoto of Rakinmura, and Tokugawa's Okita Soushi. Even though both of them did several fouls, and were knocked out of the ring a couple of times, everyone, including the umpire was so fascinated by their swift flashing movements that it wasn't called to a halt. In the end, they called it a tie, since no one remembered who had set foot of the arena first, and blows had slashed in too fast to be tallied. It was rather funny actually. There were no more run-ins with Seta Soujirou. Although he had seemed like a nice guy, I was heartily relieved.

Watching the kenpo matches had been really enjoyable - it was rather different, and certainly rougher then the kendo matches. When Masaru-kun beat that giant up, I nearly burst from pride. My throat was sore from all the yelling later on, as we re-did the cheers again, for not only the grand finale between Aoshi and some guy from Tokugawa, but for Hannya, Shikijyou, Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shiro and Kuro's matches. The Oniwabanshuu won again of course - not even Tokugawa's prized 'Yaminbou' could take them down, although they certainly tried.

I was looking forward to when we would all go out. That's what we had planned - after the chaos was over, we'd escape the tyranny of cafeteria food, pool our money to eat somewhere reasonably good, and then go out and have some fun. All we were waiting for was for my parents to pick up Yahiko, and Tomoe had to find Enishi and take him back to the Junior High campus. She always worried about him, and he bore it remarkably well. If I tried that sort of thing with Yahiko, it would be a disaster. 

"Yahiko!" I called, looking around at the deserted grounds. "It's late! You have to go home, it's a school day for you tomorrow!" Not for _me_, though, I thought smugly to myself. In return for having this weekend, we got two days off for fun and games, or more likely homework. I had so much to do...

"Ya-hi-ko!!!!" I called. Where on earth _was _that little brat? When had I last seen him...

A shiver of apprehension ran down my spine, as I realized the last time I had seen him was at lunch time. He had pestered me for money again, then run off with Tomoe's younger brother. 

I ran back to the quadrangle, where I had last seen Tomoe. She had organized to meet her brother there twenty minutes ago. I rounded the corner, and a broke out into a cold sweat. She was still standing there, and even from here, I could see her hands had a stranglehold on each other.

"Tomoe!" I called, praying desperately that against all odds she knew where they were. I tried to shove out thoughts of kidnappers, murderers, and just how pathetically easy it was to get onto the school grounds, and just how big they were. "Have you seen Yahiko!?"

* * *

_Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the delay. Not only have I not been able to access my computer, (damn family was hogging it) but I've been really busy IRL. And just when I thought I would have plenty of time to write as well! It really sucks. I hope all of you have stayed with me....*sad puppy dog look* In addition, I found Kaoru hard to write for. Sorry if her POV seems no different at all from Misao's, but I tried to make her a little more girly. I find Misao and Kaoru's characters pretty similar anyway - that's probably why they get along so well! Sorry if this chapter seemed a little short, and disjointed. In the end, I felt awful writing Kaoru, but I just waded through it. *sniffs* I meant to get into The Fight between Soujirou and Kenshin more, and the fight between Shishio and Okita, but in the end, the thought of jamming all those fights in great length in one chapter made me tired. Sorry. You'll get lots of fights later on, when we delve into the tournament, ne? Alright, next chapter in Misao-chan again, and the long awaited **SHOWER SCENE! **She's in big trouble this time...and just how is Aoshi going to get her out of it? Hehehe. Oh and just out of interest, was it just me, or did Meiji High's kendo team really suck in comparison to the other schools? I mean, Kenshin's not in it, and he'd be about the only legendarily strong guy at Meiji who uses a sword._

_P.S: We hit over **100 reviews!!!!** THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! _

_Review Replies:_

_**JML: ***snickers* Insidiously addictive, ne?_

_**Oracle: **YAAAAAY!!!!!!! You addressed all my concerns! I LOV-, er, really like you. Wouldn't want to scare you off now, would I?_

_**blue eyes: **Heheh. She's a fast talker that one. Sorry for not continuing sooner._

_**IYandKH4ever: **Misao knew that Aoshi pretty much knew, but he wasn't acting like he knew, so she was hoping against all reason that he didn't think it was her, or rather she was Masaru. Did that make any sense at all? And what IS wrong with music? *puzzled*_

_**Mara: **Yahoo!!! A new reader! Ehehehe....I did some martial arts when I was younger, but not for very long before my mom pulled me out. Pity that. I don't really know what I'm going on about - but I do read a lot, and watch lots and lots of anime. At least someone thinks I'm convincing. ~_^. Thank you! And next chapter definitely has The Shower Scene._

_**DiaBlo: **Sorry. My bad. I didn't update soon, sir. _

_**phoe-chan: **There will be some Misao and Soujirou interaction, but it's more that they're good friends, not love interests. Sorry. Hehehe....I'm about the same as Misao figure-wise, although taller, and maybe not as skinny and cute. Oh well. Oh wow! You put in more reviews for the chapters you missed before! How....unlazy and so...NICE of youuuuuuuuu.......T_T....Well, look, Soujirou makes his first appearence! But MIsao isn't around...dang. _

_**Go-chan: **Thank you Go-chan. I'll try to get off my ass, and actually review usefully every now and then. But I never know what to say when the author is good besides "I like it." Un, I'm getting a little tired of 1st POV, I might slash in a 3rd person perspective 'interlude' like chapter on the baddies side every now and then in this story. And I'm glad you like the fight scene! But yours are more entertaining. Oops, I'm not fishing for compliments, honest. Ehehe...I'll shut up now. _

_**Kyme-chan: **Thoughts in Aoshi-sama's head? Hehehehe. Let's just say....he does start to notice Misao is a girl. Well, in the next chapter it's kind of hard for him not to, but....*grins*_

_**Tiian: **Thanks Tiian-san! Awwwwww....you wait for this one? Thank you! I'm sorry I've been so terribly slow, ne?_

_**Noa: **No. I get frustrated when Aoshi-sama is stupid as well._

_**selene: **Do a little dance! Make a little love! Get down tonig- ororoorororo!!! *is hit by several things orginating from trash cans* Sorry. Heheh...Do you think he smiled at her too early? This _is _Aoshi after all._

_**blacksakura: **Yes, torturing Sano is an amusing hobby, isn't it? Ah, another hanakimi lover....If you want to find people who love hanakimi, join this yahoo group: It's the _only_ site you need for your hanakimi addiction. Well, learning how to use MIRC would be good too. Then you can access TFT group. And then you can teach me how to use MIRC! _

_**Innocent Dreamer: **It was a long wait. Sorry._

_**lebleuphenix : **There is SO much Aoshi/Misao interaction coming up soon, so you should be quite happy. Hee. It certainly brings out that mushy feeling in me, anyway. _

_**jaded: **I hate it when people stuff up their grammar too, although I can forgive the occasional typo. The thing I hate is when people say 'drug' instead of 'dragged.' Ugh. But, one shower scene coming up! And I do believe I'll take your suggestion - it could be fun. And who else other then Megumi would notice. *grins* It fits in quite well with other bits of my story actually. _

_**nekonomiko: **Of course! Although most of it's on Misao's side of course. _

_**dynast: **cho-co-late...._

_**Fallen Virtue: ***gawks in open amazement* Wow. You're talking about me? Flowing? HEHEHEHEHEHEHEH....Okay, now I'm going to be grinning for a week. *patiently baits fanfic hook with teasers*_

_**saicho-18: ***grins* It's coming up!_

_**JadeGoddess: ***evil laughter resounds* And Aoshi-sama is lovely of course, to make up for him being so mean in so much fanfiction. _

_**Shicsaczzz: **I reviewed! Sorry if I was mean - like I said, i felt horrible, especially after you left me a nice review._

_**anonymous nameless person: ***sweatdrops* Everyone says to update quick, and I couldn't! Sorrrrrrrry....I feel really bad._

_**Mattel: **Ooooh....That's the nicest compliment anyone has said to me. I admit to being a lazy reviewer on occasion, although I have improved. The best A/M.....T_T....*grins*_

_Everyone, thanks for reviewing! Until next time....and sorry for the wait._

* * *


	8. Part 8: Narrow Escapes

Oh god, it was hot. 

Sweat dampened the back of my neck, matted together strands of my hair, stuck my shirt to my back through the bandages. Puffs of dust rose as I scuffed my way over the graveled path. White flares of sunlight stabbed into my eyes and beat on my head, and the reflections off cars were dizzying.

For the fifteenth time I wondered how everyone had roped me into getting drinks. The machines were an eternity away from the gym - and predictably close to the staff rooms. But the end was in sight!

Bottles and cans winked merrily at me behind their protective sheet of glass. My brow wrinkled as I tried to remember just what exactly everyone had ordered.

"Let's see...Aoshi-sama wanted that revolting brown tea as usual...." Clink went the money. Whir went the machine. _Clunk_ went the bottle.

"Megumi wanted a peach fanta..." Clink. Whir. Clunk.

"Sano wanted that energy drink....But was it red bull or V....Oh well." _Clunk. _

Everyone's drinks fell in quick succession. I gingerly gathered up the bottles, wincing slightly at just how shockingly cold they were to my poor flushed forearms. I should've bought a bag or something - it would be easier to carry, and the drinks would've stayed colder anyway. Damn.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

I would have spun around, but spinning is not conducive to keeping your armful of drinks in your arms. I turned slowly, then gulped. 

A sizable number of muscle-bound men had surrounded me in a menacing ring, complete with leering grins. And at the front was the guy I had just defeated, Hiruma Gohei.

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 8: Narrow Escapes

* * *

I gulped. And then I carefully set my drinks down. "Hi," I managed to squeak out. 

Gohei smiled. A smiled that suspiciously reminded me of that of a shark. "Hi."

We eyeballed each other for a while. I was very conscious of his cronies lounging around. It was all of Rakinmura's kenpo team and more! And they were all at least a head and shoulders taller then me. Most of their thighs were as thick as my waist. I could see the headlines already:

BOY FOUND DEAD BY CAN MACHINE AT MEIJI HIGH  
Faculty say they are not to blame! 

AUTOPSY FINISHED: BOY IS _GIRL_! SCANDAL AT MEIJI!  
"I wouldn't let my children go there." -_Investigator Conan-   
_And Makimachi Misao's grieving grandfather speaks out!

Wah!

"You did really well in the tournament today, Makimachi."

Nervous tug of my collar. "Thanks." My voice squeaked again.

"I just....wanted to show my appreciation."

My eyes widened, as he gestured to me with a lazy wave of his hands. "All yours, guys. Cute isn't he?"

_CRAPCRAPCRAPCRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

Even as they closed in on me, I sprang straight up, and came flipping down hard on my first assailant's head. The impact made me wince in sympathy, and enraged cries came from around me, but it did give me a lovely leverage to spring straight up and across the gang's heads. I slipped as I landed, and staggered a little, but took to my heels. They stampeded after me, screaming for my blood.

"Help! Please!" I wailed. 

I crashed into something very hard. Something that felt either like a wall, or...

"AOSHI-SAMA!" I cried. _Thank you, God. _His eyes narrowed, blue-grey acquiring a steely tinge as the herd of Rakinmura guys slid to a stop around us. He thrust me behind him, hand bruisingly tight on my wrist for one instant, and I collided into someone else decidedly familiar. 

"Sou-kun!"

He smiled at me distractedly, then stepped up next to Aoshi-sama, his shinai in hand. 

Gohei's crowd had looked already pretty intimidated, just by Aoshi-sama making an appearance. And when Sou-kun appeared from behind him, small, cute looking Sou-kun, in light grey and blue formal kendo gear, amazingly, eyes widened, and fists were clenched. Before I could blink -

-They were all down, groaning, either bearing marks of Aoshi-sama's fists or boots, or of Sou-kun's shinai. 

And I had only gotten one blow in!

I stalked over to where Hiruma Gohei lay, behind sticking out prominently in the air, face in the dust. "Thanks for the appreciation! HAHAHAHAH!!!" I planted a foot squarely on the huge target his butt made.

"Mi-chan..." Soujirou was giving me a very flat-eyed stare, one hand slapped against his forehead. "You really haven't changed at all...."

Abruptly my brain registered just _who_ was in front of me. 

_"SOU-KUN!!!!!!" _I squealed, and hurtled into his arms. He laughed breathlessly, as we tumbled together to the ground into the dust. I sat up on him, seizing the front of his gi, shaking it for emphasis on certain words. "What are you doing here? _When_ did you get here!? You didn't tell me you joined the kendo team at your new school!? It's the kendo team right? I'm surprised your uncle Hajime let you enter! How's your new school? How's Okita? And your Aunt? And Eiji-kun?" 

He couldn't stop laughing, anymore then I could stop my endless flow of questions. We hugged tightly, and I kissed him affectionately on one dust covered cheek. He got to his feet dragging me up along the way.

_"_Slow down, Mi-chan! Yes it's kendo, and I joined just recently, _with _Uncle Hajime's permission. Everyone's fine - Okita's here in fact, but then again he might have already left. His matches were yesterday. As for what I'm doing here, I was looking for you! Shinomori-san kindly agreed to help me find you."

I spun. Aoshi-sama was looking at me with the oddest expression on his face. "Ah! Aoshi-sama, this is my bestest friend in the whole world, Seta Soujirou. Sou-kun, this is my kenpo sempai, Shinomori Aoshi-sama."

Sou-kun coughed delicately, a cough that carefully concealed laughter. Soft brown locks tumbled forward to conceal mischievous charcoal grey eyes. "Mi-chan, we've already been introduced."

"Oh." I deflated a little. A reflection hit the corner of my eye, and I spun again. "Oh! My drinks!" A few went flying, which Aoshi-sama caught deftly, dead pan expression firmly back in place. I frowned.

"I didn't get one for you Sou-kun...But then again, I didn't know you were here, so how could I get you one?"

"Don't worry about it, Mi-chan." His eyes widened suddenly, and he slapped his hands over his mouth. "A...Ano...Masaru..."

"_Try _to be more obvious, Sou-kun." I said loftily. "It's fine. Aoshi-sama already knows."

Aoshi-sama's deep voice interjected itself. "If you like, I can take the drinks back, and you can...spend some time with Seta-san."

I spun around again. All this turning around in circles was making me dizzy. "Eh?"

Silence. Aoshi-sama had averted his gaze away from me, his face shadowed and expressionless. I bit my lip. I wanted to see the presentations of the awards - we _ had_ won the kenpo tournament after all. But I hadn't talked to Sou-kun for a couple of weeks, and I hadn't seen him in months, and who knew when I next would, with both of us boarding at school.

A watch alarm beeped into the quiet. Sou-kun looked at the time. "I'm sorry, Mi-chan. I've just seen you, and I already have to go. Maybe later...?"

"We're going out to the city tonight...you want to come?" I looked up at Aoshi-sama. "You don't think everyone would mind, do you?" He shook his head in mute reply.

"I'm going with my other friends as well...Maybe we can meet up. You've got my number on your phone Mi-chan. Just remember to switch it on for once."

"Yeah, yeah...See you later then, Sou-kun!" He waved as he hurried away.

Aoshi-sama was already striding down the path to the gym. "Wait for me!" I called, running after him. He cast a long shadow in the afternoon sun.

* * *

Having a shower today was an almost impossible mission. Floods of guys had been in and out all day because of the bizarre schedules. But at long last, they seemed to be empty. Thank god. And there would be enough time for me to have a nice long leisurely soak in the baths after my shower, and still be able to meet everyone on time. I crept in, and stripped off in the front room, stuffing my clothes and bandages into an empty locker, and hung my towel on a convenient hook. Armed with shampoo, conditioner, and soap, I peeped into the shower room. Still empty.

Ah, it felt so good! I scrubbed my hair vigorously, then soaped the grime off my body. After the tussle with Gohei and Co. I had gotten quite dusty, as Megumi had _kindly_ pointed out to me. But at long last, I was clean. I let the cool water sluice over my aching body, then shut it off. The bath would be better for easing my pain. Hiruma's knee had left a lasting impression on my poor stomach.

I slid into the hot water, sighing a little. I loved public baths. They were always so huge, and while not quite as good as an onsen, at least they didn't stink of sulfur. This school bath was exceptionally big, a little bigger then a normal pool actually, and deeper then I was used to. Then again, it was the boys bathroom, and usually served taller people. The whole thing was tiled with bright blue glass that sent brilliant refractions dancing along the ceiling. I leaned my head back to study them through half closed eyes. This was the life.

The award ceremony had been nice and short. Saitou-sensei had made a three sentence speech, then handed the medals out. Then there had been a storm of clapping, and that was it. After that, the students from Tokugawa, Rakinmura and Kaio High had left, and we had been stuck with cleaning up. But now we were free! 

"-I really need a shower. I hope those Rakinmura guys didn't dirty the bath water. I wouldn't put it past them not to wash properly just out of spite!" [1]

"Sano. Really."

"Honestly, Kenshin! They were dirty enough to gang up on that little weasel when he was on his own, weren't they?"

"But Sano, they can't all be bad. Wasn't Makimachi-kun's friend from Rakinmura as well, Aoshi?"

"A~a."

I gulped. This was bad. This was really bad. What was I supposed to do? There were a few things I knew they were bound to notice! I looked around frantically for another exit. No good anyway! What would I do without clothes?

The door opened. I dived for the other end of the pool, and curled up there, my legs as tight as they could go up to my chest, and my feet against my thighs. I hunched.

"It's finally empty...Eh? Oh, hi weasel. What are you doing in that corner over there?" I looked up, then immediately slammed my eyes shut. 

Oh. My. God.

I tried to cover my reaction with a wide smile - a smile that gave me a reason to keep my eyes closed. "It's hotter over here, rooster head. That's why I'm over here, baking the aches out." My voice wavered uncertainly, forced into the higher octaves at the end. It was squeaking again. 

My mind was busy running around in frantic little circles. Sano, Kenshin, Katsu, Akira, Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shikijo, Hannya, Shiro, Kuro, and Aoshi-sama were all there. And they were all stark naked! There wasn't a safe place for me to look anywhere! 

Why.......

I shut my eyes tightly, firmly quashing any curiosity. It came to me that many girls would be deliriously happy if they were in my shoes right now. 

_I am not going to look. I am not going to look. I am not going to look._

Splashes from the showering, and random talk echoed through the room. "Hey, weasel, can I borrow your soap? I forgot mine."

"Go ahead!" I yelped. 

"Thanks!"

One by one, the showers turned off, and more splashes heralded people sliding into the bath. I cautiously opened my eyes. I was just going to look at their faces. That's all. I wasn't going to look at anything else. Besides it would look weird if I kept my eyes closed for the whole time. Wouldn't it?

"God, this feels good," Sano groaned.

Katsu glared at him, wiping water out of his eyes - water that rooster head had just splashed. "You didn't even do anything today, Sano."

"It still feels good!"

"Maa maa....So, what are we doing tonight, everyone?" Kenshin interceded hurriedly.

"Party!" Sano cheered, half-rising out of the water. I flinched. Kenshin oro-ed.

"Ano..." I interrupted. I didn't want to draw attention to myself, but this was a good time to ask. "Is it okay if my friend and his buddies meet up with us?"

"Sure."

"Whatever."

"Of course, Masaru-kun."

I sighed in relief. It was that easy. I should've known. 

And in my relief, I finally looked at where Aoshi-sama was sitting.

_Oh my god!_

I shut my eyes quickly. Oh my god. Oh my god.

Black bangs clung damply to his face, watery light reflecting off fine features. He was submerged only up to his ribs, and I saw every bit of muscle on his chest and arms. I had had time to look and wonder slightly on the scars on him, before-

He had looked at me! The blood flooded up to my cheeks. Aoshi-sama had caught me peeking... 

"I think I've had enough," he said quietly. I quickly sneaked another look through me eyelashes, and saw the red that tinted his cheekbones. And I didn't think it came solely from the temperature of the water. That was all I had time to see, before he began to stand, and I hurriedly shut my eyes. 

"Yeah, it's getting a bit much."

"Plus, we have to round up the girls."

"Yup. That _always _takes ages."

"Coming, Masaru?"

"Um, no." My face was starting to resemble a tomato again, I could _feel_ it.

"Masaru-san?" That was Kenshin, looking at me. "You're looking a bit red...maybe you shouldn't stay in here for much longer."

"Y-yeah." I mumbled into the water, sinking further down into it. "I just have to soak in here a little longer, okay?"

They nodded - I think - and then there was more splashing, and they left. The changing room echoed with their idle chatter. I rolled my eyes. And they said that _girls_ gossiped!

Finally, it all quietened down, and I stealthily searched the front room, then wedged a chair under the door that led outside. I was _still _blushing. I would never be able to take another shower without remembering this day for the rest of my life! Hastily, I jerked my clothes on, not caring that I was still half wet. The bandages could wait until I reached the moderate safety of my room to wrap my chest up. For now I settled for wrapping my towel around my shoulders, and holding it closed over my chest in the pretense of clutching onto my shoes and toiletries. Bare foot, I warily made my way back to the dorms without further incident.

The corridors were curiously empty. Normally, one could see boys running back and forward, playing football, or tag, or whatever in the halls, talking, swapping homework notes, or just loitering around. Naturally, on this day, everyone had gone out to celebrate victories, or drown woes. With a small sigh, I reached the haven of my room. Blessed be. 

Dumping my load on my small bare study table, I stretched lazily, working the kinks of being hunched up for so long out. Then, looking rather distastefully at the metres of bandages that awaited, I undressed again, and began winding, sitting down on the nearest available surface, which happened to be Aoshi-sama's bed, the bottom bunk.

Around and around - dammit, my arms always cramped up at this bit - this was the most difficult part of the whole binding process, getting the first end tucked in flat. It fell out again, a long innocent string of pure white cotton. I ripped the rapidly loosening coils away from my waist, muttering underneath my breath. This sucked. This sucked. This really really sucked. Here I was, naked from the waist up, shivering from the draught that was blowing from the gap in the window that wouldn't close, trying to get this stupid end to _stay flat!_

Ah! Got it! Now all I had to do was-

The door opened. I snatched the sheet up against my breast, bandaged bedamned. _Crap!_

Aoshi-sama met my slack jawed gaping look of utter shock with a haze of startled blue-grey blinks. His own eyes had flared open in surprise, his whole face very still, mouth slightly ajar, as we locked gazes, and my cheeks burnt, and I prayed that he wouldn't look down. Not that I had much for him to look down on, but still.

"Shinomori? What's wrong? We've got to hurry, ne?"

"Aoshi? The keys?"

Sano and Kenshin peered over his shoulder, but only managed to get one quick glimpse of me, eyes bugging, before Aoshi spun, and slammed the door shut behind him. My cheeks were flaming like hot brands, but I breathed a quiet sigh of relief, then almost immediately gasped another one in.

_Crap. Crap. Crap. How the hell is Aoshi-sama going to explain why I'm- I'm like this? What am I going to say?_

Outside in the hall, I could hear Sano demand in a slightly shrill voice, "Shinomori? Why is there a naked girl in your room!?"

* * *

_[1] Dirtying the bath water. Well, if you didn't know, in Japan, people shower before bathing, because everyone uses the same bath water. Communal baths. And it would be quite gross if someone just jumped in all dirty into your nice hot bath._

_Author's Note:_

_I know I know...I'm constantly apologizing for long periods of time between updates....I'm a bad little writer I know. Please don't hit, it was all above my control, like having no access to my computer for the last two weeks of the holidays, and now being staggered by an alarming amount of homework. My god, but homework sucks. Year 11 sucks. Double maths, Chem, IS, Japanese and English. Ick. Why didn't I pick art like my sister? Well, my mom would massacre me for one...Oh well. And I have to practice a lot of piano as well, but that's off the subject. Enough whinging. **The whinging is finished, if you were bored and wandered off.**_

_Anyway, the shower scene didn't turn out quite as I wanted it to, but I hope you all found it amusing. (If you found the line from Mulan, well done!) I know I made everyone expect a lot from it...sorry. I feel it had much more potential for torturing of characters, but ah well. Next chapter should be pure torture, as "Misao" is introduced to the gang, and the Juppongatana meet the Kenshingumi at a karaoke bar...heh. The next chapter...well, I can't make any promises, but I'll try my best. ^_^ (And I won't abandon my fanfiction, just because I have heard the siren song of roleplay....Ummm....Roleplay.....^_^)_

**_Review Replies:  
_**

_**Fallen Virtue: **Oh dear, I've used up my bait. Sorry for the looong wait...I too check some stories everyday, and know just how frustrating it is when someone won't update. *grins* Nagging myself works sometimes, because I'm quite enjoying writing this. It's nice and silly. Well, another Misao chapter for you! Next in an Aoshi one. I like writing him, because he says so little most of the time, but his thoughts....*grins evilly* I hope I haven't lost you as a reader because of the long absence!_

_**JML: **Maybe...she was a little flustered though. Give her a break. The naughty little gaki went off to gaki-land. Hehehe. You'll sort of find out in the next chapter, but I'll go into it in more depth in Chapter 9, which'll be from Ken-san's POV._

_**Carlin: **And even MORE A/M. And next chapter should be BURSTING with A/M. _

_**blue eyes: **Thanks...That makes me feel better. And it's a pleasure to reply to reviews._

_**Tiian: **We are all sooo guilty of slow writing, though I may have set a record here. Oooh! Someone re-read something of mine! *giggles like a three year old* And of _course _it doesn't mean anything...*looks shifty*_

_**selene: **Ah! You poor thing! That must of put you under so much stress, that BAKA._

_**JadeGoddess: **The reactions are cooooming....HAHAHAH!_

_**Kyme-chan: **There you go. More A/M. And more coming, some very horribly fluffy A/M. Fluff Fluff Fluff. Wow, I seemed to have attracted the people that don't really like Kaoru. Interesting....What does that say about A/M fics and Kaoru lovers?_

_**Phoe-chan: **Oh, that's not really fair. *pouts* If you've only seen the anime, I guess one could say that Aoshi is pretty blah-ish towards Misao. But in the Jinchuu arc, he's sort of sweet to her, in that frustratingly indirect way of his. You can see he's starting to open up...ne? *giggles at the thought of Soujirou's face* Poor Sou-kun._

_**dynast: **GOOOOMEN NASAI!!!!!!!!! I posted, and then I had to go away from my computer for a week!! So sorry! And guess what! I USED MIRC!!!!!! True, it was with the help of a very nice girl (thanks jestagal, if you ever see this) , but I still gooooot it......if i see you on msn, i'll hand it over. Chapter 26!_

_**Innocent Dreamer: ***bows piously* Yes, everything has it's price. ^_^_

_**lebleuphoenix: ***scratches head* another rushed chapter, despite the fact that I wrote it broken up over weeks...but the actual writing was rushed. Gomen. I'll see if I can make it flow better, but I figured you'd want the story to move more, rather then me endlessly tinkering with one chapter._

_**moon goddess: **"Accidentally," eh? Don't worry, Kenshin gets to show off shortly. _

_**Gochan: **Shower Scene of Doom has arrived. Maa....Oh well, it's done now, and it will either disappoint, or make people laugh, Hopefully, the latter. Ah, see what an overdose of reading shoujo manga does to an innocent fanfiction writer...and to think I used to only read shounen manga._

_**Vesca: **I have lots of experience to draw on. ^_^_

_**tenshineko: ***snickers* Poor bumbling Kenshin. And yes....Kaoru's dark side is coming out....HAHAHAHAH!!!!!!_

_**megami no ushi: **Ano...well...the shower scene.....*deflates* maybe I puffed everyone's expectations up too much. It is only a really short scene...and it was very hard for me to write. Sorry, everyone. And you should check TCP, it's easy enough to find. I guess I shouldn't be putting up too many links to my manga download places....I want them to be there, when I leech! HAHAHAH!!! But the link is manga-sketchbook.org okay? There ya go._

_**tigerlilly: **You ENJOYED it? Praise the gods! Here comes more A/M action, headed your way..._

_**nekonomiko: **Sorry, you'll find very little K/K action here. Gooomen. Yup, A/M is what this fic is about...._

_**Strife-07: **Hai hai! Updated!_

_Thank you everyone, for reviewing! ESPECIALLY to all the wonderful people who review me regularly! Please don't give up, I AM still writing Meiji Heights. Next chapter should be niiiiice and long...this one was shorter then usual, though no where near as short as the Yahiko one was._


	9. Part 9: Meiji's Sweethearts

That had to been one of the most harrowing experiences I have ever been through. Heat rose to my cheeks on recollection, and I ran a hand absently through my damp hair. Not that it did anything - the long black bangs merely settled back into their normal place right in my eyes. I needed a haircut again. 

The girls weren't anywhere - granted we hadn't been looking for very long. We skulked across the quad in a tightly bunched group against the chilly night wind, heading towards the female dorms.

"Everyone!" Two distraught female voices called out behind us, followed by a light tattoo of footsteps on gravel. I turned.

Yukishiro Tomoe and Kamiya Kaoru were in utter disarray, panic evident in widened eyes, and their frantic gestures.

"-And when I get my hands on that brat, so help me, I'll kill him for putting me through this-" Kamiya-san looked like she was about expire from sheer anxiety, although her words and tone of voice were frankly murderous. 

"-Enishi and Kamiya-kun are missing, and the last time we remember seeing them was at lunch, and that was hours ago, and they could be...oh god..." Yukishiro-san clasped a slender pale hand over her mouth, eyes brimming with unshed tears. 

Himura raised his hands, violet eyes transparently concerned. "Maa, maa. Please calm down. We'll organize search parties straight away, and find your brothers, ne? They probably just ran off and got lost." He smiled gently, disarmingly. "Aoshi. You have the keys for the different buildings and classrooms, right? Maybe they were caught in the corridors during the lock up."

"Un." I grunted. We hurried back to my room. My mind was already on organizing the search parties. Himura was of course the quickest out of us - he'd probably be the best one equipped to run out and search the gym and the surrounding areas. And if he encountered someone out there, he was quite capable of defending himself, as I well knew. I grimaced wryly at that. The girls would probably be better off scouring the inside corridors of the senior school, and safer too. We'd have to meet back in the quad, basically the center of the school at a set time, otherwise we'd just be floundering around. Frowning I fumbled with my keys, and swung the door to my room open-

-Misao looked at me with wide startled eyes. She was mostly -but inadequately- covered with a sheet snatched up from my bed, but everywhere else there was pale finely grained skin showing, and _I was not going to look, _even though she was practically naked in front of me for the second time of the day. Somehow, my eyes simply wouldn't tear themselves away from her face, that small piquant featured face with her gamine aquamarine eyes full of shock. 

"Shinomori? What's wrong? We've got to hurry, ne?"

"Aoshi? The keys?"

Himura and Sagara's voices seemed to be coming from very far away, but I noticed when they peered over my shoulder, eyes popping at the fetching spectacle Misao made. No second thoughts about it, I shoved them away, and slammed the door shut, my breath coming fast and hard.

His voice cracking, Sagara asked the obvious. "Shinomori? Why is there a naked girl in your room!? I mean, the _why _is pretty obvious, but...how!?"

I took another deep breath, and blurted out the first vaguely plausible reason that jumped into my head. 

"She's my girlfriend."

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 9: Meiji's Sweethearts

* * *

At least they hadn't seen her face, and realized that 'she' was their friend 'Masaru'.

I knocked on my door politely, trying to ignore the stares that were on my back, openly gaping on Sagara, utterly mystified on Himura, abject curiousity from my kenpo members, and vague interest on the others. The girl's stares might have burnt a hole in my back they were so thunderingly censorious. 

"You can come in now." Her voice trembled, achingly nervous.

I opened the door a very narrow crack, slid through, and slammed it shut behind me. Several yelps from behind it told the wisdom of my actions. However, it was all totally unnecessary, as Misao stood fully dressed, though with an apprehensive look on her face. "Aoshi-sama? What's happening?"

I flinched back from the implicit trust in her voice and eyes. Covering it by marching to my wardrobe, and rummaging for a shirt, I confessed quickly over my shoulder, in a surprisingly calm voice. It sounded almost...normal. Dead pan even.

"I said you were my girlfriend. Put this on, you look too much like Masaru in those clothes."

The shirt dropped into her slack hands, and then to the floor. Dazedly, she picked it up, her knees knocking together. "W-W...What?"

I looked away. "It was the only thing I could think of. Sorry."

A rustle of clothing. When it stopped, I looked at her again, with her discarded jacket, t-shirt, and bandages lying in a puddle on the floor. My shirt lay open to midway of her breastbone, where the first button began on her. The sleeves hung a good length past her hands. She looked even paler then the fabric, pupils huge, stunned. She looked tiny in the garment, as I had intended, but it was something more. I hastily knelt to hide my expression, and rolled up the sleeves deftly.

"Aoshi-sama?"

"Un?"

".....Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so much trouble to you, and you even..." Her voice faltered. I straightened from my crouch, then ruffled her hair. She looked up at me, face surprised, then wrinkled her nose.

"It doesn't matter. We can deal with this later. Right now we're searching for Yukishiro-san and Kamiya-san's younger brothers."

* * *

A stiff north wind had really sprung up. Misao and I shivered our way back to the Quad, our story (semi) worked out, and the upper ovals searched. 

Everyone except Himura was back - Yukishiro-san and Kamiya-san's faces fell as we came back alone.

"Nothing?" Kaoru asked in a slightly shrill voice. "What are we going to do? I called my parents, but thank god, they asked if I could bring him home...what am I going to do? What if he's really hurt, and-"

"Let go of me, girly man!"

Cut off in mid word, her face lit up, sapphire toned eyes tearing as her face assumed a wide startled smile. There was a shuffle of feet around the corner, and Himura appeared, a brat tucked underneath each arm, a _katana _in one hand, a _wakizashi _in the other. I blinked. Why on earth did he have his swords on him?

"It would be a good idea to apologize to your sisters," he scolded them gently, not even noticing us. Well, he did have his hands full. "They've been very worried, that they have."

The two sisters rushed him, amidst cries of "Enishi!" and "You damn brat!" Quite wisely, Himura let go of both boys, while they were swarmed by much hugging, tears, and scolding.

Well. At least that had been settled happily.

* * *

Looking very chastened, we left Kamiya-san's younger brother in the hands of her parents, Kaoru stopping to scold him one last time. After that. we decided to catch a late dinner at a pizza place, and that's when the real torture began. Hannya and the rest of the Oniwabanshuu had elected to stay at the dorms, leaving Misao and I outnumbered. The girls wouldn't hear of me or her staying at school, first dragging her back to their rooms, to dress her 'properly', which was just another shock on my nerves when I saw her after they were done.

Pizza Express was packed when we came in, but we managed to get a fair sized booth at the back to squash all of us in. Sagara, Tsuikioka, Takani-san, Kamiya-san, Kiyosato, Yukishiro-san, and Himura all piled in. 

Leaving only one seat for Misao and I.

We all stared for a moment, and then Megumi laughed, a suspiciously sinister sound. "It's no problem isn't it? Misao-chan's so petite, she can just sit in your lap, Shinomori-san! Ohohoho!"

Misao looked at me. I looked at Misao. We both blushed, pretty much simultaneously, to the hilarity of the table. "It's fine," I said brusquely, trying to ignore the vivid red that was surely splashed over my face. Misao nodded with small tiny shakes of her head, eyes wide. I sat down, and she eased herself onto my knees after hastily pulling the short hem of her borrowed skirt down, back rigidly straight. Yukishiro-san looked at Kiyosato, and he nodded. "If you like, I can sit on Akira's lap instead." She looked extremely uncomfortable just saying that, however, and I mutely shook my head, while Misao gave a more vocal denial. 

"But Akira-san injured his ankle right? It wouldn't be right. But thank you anyway."

_It's just an act, _I told my hormones firmly, as she slowly relaxed against my chest, her head tucked underneath my chin. She was...very small, only a slight pressure leaning on me.

"So," Takani-san began after we had ordered, a sly smile on her lips, wicked gleam in her dark eyes. "Misao-chan, tell us just how you managed to snag Shinomori-san when most of the female population is after him."

Misao flinched against me. "E-eh? Ano...I-I...We," she stammered.

"We met through Masaru-kun. We've got mutual cousins." I interceded. Strictly taken, it was truth. I didn't want to even try lying to Himura.

Misao nodded vigorously. "Un! Ma-kun introduced us."

"Hn." Sagara grunted. "I guess you do kind of look like the weasel."

I felt Misao twitch at that, and hastily restrained her, my hands taking a fairly firm grip around her waist. Why on earth did she let that nickname get to her everytime?

"Speaking of Masaru, where is he?"

"I think he had a date," Misao said smoothly. "He said something about unexpectedly meeting a girl anyway."

"Really?"

"Didn't think he had it in him."

Misao smiled thinly. This was going to be a very long night.

"Misao-chan, don't take this the wrong way, but why exactly are you here tonight?" Kamiya-san, smiling in manner restrained curiousity. "It was quite a ....surprise...to find you in Shinomori-san's room."

A surprise. Well, I guess that was _one _thing to call it.

"Well...um...I had come up to visit my cousin, but I was too late for his match, ne? That was really disappointing, but to make matters worse, I slipped on that big mud puddle outside the gym." -_Praise the sprinkler system for making a puddle, and Misao for remembering it.- _"Anyway, Ma-kun told me to take a shower, and I could borrow his clothes, since we're of a size. I was getting dressed...and...um..." Blushing, she looked cutely flummoxed.

"I see," Kamiya-san replied. "It's a pity you missed Masaru-kun's match - he was brilliant."

Then, our food arrived, and any further conversation turned to the day's athletics while everyone else chattered idly between mouthfuls. Misao was being unusually restrained in her eating - normally she ate about as much as Himura, but today she was eating...well...like a girl. Perhaps that was for the best. I could see her eyeing the pizza wistfully though, and realized she was deliberately holding back. We had noodles and a kettle back in our room anyway.

We were about to order dessert, when Misao's phone rang loudly, making both of us jump. She fished it out of her jacket pocket, squirming completely unselfconsciously around in my lap to do so. At least one of us was comfortable. 

"Eh? Sou-kun? Ne, Masaru-KUN went out on a date, so MISAO-CHAN is here instead ne! Are you having fun with your new friends? Ah! I'll ask everyone!" Pulling away from her phone, she smiled brightly at the table. "Everyone, a friend of mine and Masaru's is pretty close by, and he said that Masaru and him made plans for you all and his friends to do something together, ne? I wouldn't mind seeing Sou-kun, but it's up to you...."

Her pleading eyes said else wise, and naturally, no one could resist.

* * *

I couldn't believe it.

I didn't want to believe it.

A karaoke bar.

There was no way I was getting up in front of everyone and singing. There were many things I could do, but singing was not one of them.

And naturally, because we had such a big group, all of us from Meiji and Seta-san's ten friends, we were in one of the 'formal' karaoke rooms, not the small ones with a TV to read off with bizarre film clips, but one with a stage. And a spotlight.

There was absolutely no way. So far I had been safe, but the others had had several rounds, even Himura, and I was betting that any minute someone was going to...

"Ah, it's nice to meet you all again," Seta-san smiled benignly. Him and Misao were sitting very close to one another I noted absently. "Ano.. next time I hope I can fight against you Kenshin-san. It's a pity that your injuries wouldn't let you compete."

What? Why was he looking at Kiyosato, and saying Kenshin? 

"Na?" Misao evidently had the same question. "Sou-kun, that's-"

"Ah!" Kamiya Kaoru broke in, a fixed smile on her face. "Misao-chan, it's your turn to sing."

Misao's head spun around. "Ara! Great! Okay, Sou-kun, I'll teach you how to properly imitate Shindou Shuichi. That last performance was no good at all! We haven't sung together for too long, I see!"

With that, she sprang up from her seat, and leapt onto the stage. I could have groaned. For most of the evening she had been successful at acting slightly shy, and very different from how she normally did. But as soon as she had met up with Seta-san, the farce had dropped away, and anyone who had eyes should be able to tell who she was. And she was about to sing a song by a man, and imitate him too....Though many people mistook the singer of _Bad Luck _for a girl. That was something at least. 

The blaring opening of _Rage Beat _started as she grabbed the microphone and struck a pose to many ribald cheers. I glared disapprovingly at the cheerers, namely Sagara, and a suspicious looking guy introduced as Sawagejou Chou. 

_obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze ni hakisutete  
hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa SHIGUNARU wa kizuato dake nokoshite-iku_

My eyes widened as she sang. Don't get me wrong. It wasn't like she had a spectacular voice, or that she was a 'hidden idoru.' It was more....Ignoring the fact that she was wearing a skirt, her legs were planted firmly apart on the ground, one hand grasping the microphone, the other spreading wide, fingers extended, as she let the song rip through her slim body, swaying to the rhythm. The notes weren't always true, and her voice wavered on some of the longer ones, yet....

Her energy was simply...so _her._ I hid my smile behind my cup of tea. And somehow, it made my worries go away, seeing her. There was no room for them in the face of her cheer.

"Okay! It's my turn!" Sagara stood up, rocking the table slightly in his eagerness, sending the drinks slopping out of their glasses. Sawagejou sneered, one of his eyes lazily closed, feet insolently propped up from where he was lounging. 

"Oi, oi, no one's in a hurry to hear you sing except you, rooster head."

"W-w-WHAT!?" 

I very nearly did groan. Today only needed a brawl between two idiots. Sagara was as irrational over his nickname which had quickly replaced the more impressive 'Zanza' with startling speed, as Misao was over 'Weasel.' 

They were glaring over the tabletop. A clash of the ones with gravity defying hair, and earth shaking stupidity. Ever the peace maker, Himura jumped in. "Sano, Sawagejou-san, I'm sure we can-"

"Chou. These are Soujirou's friends are they not?" We all turned reflexively to Makoto Shishio at the drawled sound of his voice. The girl next to him smirked, her eyes having a some what star struck look to them. 

"Che," Chou growled, but he flopped back into his seat.

There was silence.

"Maa," Himura said. "Ano...I think our alloted time is over anyway. See? The play list on screen has disappeared."

It was probably best to end it there for the night anyway. I could escape safely.

Misao pouted. "But, I didn't get to here Aoshi-sama sing."

I coughed. "I'd prefer to keep it that way."

I did not appreciate being the comic relief as everyone laughed. 

* * *

We trailed down the street in a huge pack. There was some intermingling - not all of the Rakuninmura crowd were complete morons, it seemed, contrary to popular belief. Sagara was talking animatedly to a placidly huge guy, bald head surmounted with a bandanna. They were discussing some rather interesting martial arts theories...

"Mi-chan," Seta-san hissed. "Mi-chan, what on earth is going on? Why are you like this? And why are you and Shinomori-san..." He gave me a _look, _which I returned, then pressed on. "What's going on?"

"It's necessary," Misao shot back, pasting an airily fake smile on her face, and talking from the corner of it. "I was nearly discovered, and don't glare at Aoshi-sama like that Sou-kun. He's not taking advantage of me or anything, and you know I can take care of myself."

"I wish I did," Soujirou muttered. He scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Look, this is-"

Whatever it was, he was cut off by a piercingly shocked cry from the front of the line. We looked up, startled.

The girl who had been hanging all over Shishio through the evening was pressing a hand against her cheek, sprawled on the ground, her eyes widened in indignant pain. "Yumi" she shrieked. "How dare you mark my beautiful face!" 

'Yumi' was evidently the startlingly good-looking girl panting in rage in front of her, long locks of lustrous brown hair falling out from where they had been pinned up against her head, a hand still extended from where she had struck. "I warned you Kamatari. Despite the way you are, if you insist on this ridiculous-"

Kamatari snarled wordlessly, and leapt to her feet one hand striking out in a blur of motion, straight for the other girl-

-only to be halted by Shishio, complete with sardonic smile. "Don't touch her, Kamatari." He turned. "Yumi. What are you doing here?"

The brunette looked at him, her face still flushed with anger, breast heaving. A sort of confusion passed over her face, then anguish, and flashed back to anger. "So that's how it is," she hissed. Then she stalked away, back stiff with anger. Shishio shook his head, but pursued, Kamatari trailing after him, calling his name.

Women were scary.

"Ah, jeez," Soujirou frowned, then started forward, stopped, and looked back. "Sorry Mi-chan, Yumi's going to be really upset over this, and I'll have to play peace-maker between her and Shishio-san. and ward Kamatari off..." He sighed.

"Go on," Misao smiled. "She's your sister after all. Go on."

"Thanks." He ran off, and the other Rakuninmura crowd dithered a little, then followed. 

* * *

"Please be careful," I said gravely, loud enough for the crowd around the corner to hear. How obvious could they get? Himura was at least out of sight, but the rest of them were hanging in clear view, eyes bright with avarice curiousity. In a lower tone, I continued. "I'll be waiting at the front, but I don't like sending you alone. It's dangerous for a girl to be out alone at night."

Misao beamed at me. "I'll be fine. You trained me yourself didn't you? Besides, it would look weird. I'm supposed to live just one stop away. And if you went with me, we'd have to wait for the next train back to school, which isn't for hours."

"I know." 

"Anyway, I'll catch the train to Jiya's and get him to drive me back to school. He won't mind."

"Un." I nodded.

We stood in silence for a little longer, waiting for her train to arrive. The light fragrance of her shampoo drifted my way.

"Aw, c'mon Shinomori! Just kiss her!"

We both jumped at the sound of Sagara's yell, and the resounding smack Takani-san gave him. "Idiot! You're not supposed to let them know we're watching!"

"Well, are they going out or not?"

"Just because Shinomori-san is a gentleman, rooster, something _you _would never understand...."

Their argument faded into ambient noise. I looked at Misao. She looked at me. 

Her train arrived. 

She turned to look at me. "Well...see you."

And then stopped.

Somehow I had caught her by the wrist. _This is for appearances. That's all it is. _Her eyes looked down, then widened. "Aoshi-sama..."

Not quite believing what I was doing, I bent down, hands stealing out to tilt her face in my direction. Our noses touched, and I could see my reflection in those sea hued eyes, roiling with confusion. There were the sound of voices in the background, but they were unimportant. I could hear her breathing, a light inward gasp of air. 

I held her for a long slow moment like that, and let my eyes close. The feel of her vitality, the startled sound of my name, the silky brush of her hair against my fingers. Being near her... being beside her was enough. 

From every other perspective, it must have looked like we were indeed kissing. I released her. She stumbled back, her cheeks vivid with colour, her eyes startled. Just in time, I gave her a gentle shove into the train. The doors slid close, and she looked at me through the finger print swirled glass, one hand covering her mouth. 

I closed my eyes, ignoring the hoots and laughter that had exploded out back. What in god's name had I been thinking? I forced myself to think about it. What was she doing to me? What exactly was going on between Makimachi Misao and I?

* * *

_Author's Note: *kicks self*. Again, I'm sorry for such a late update everyone. Please read my profile for what's going on in regard to that. I'll also be keeping a status updates on my fics on my profile, so if you want to know what's going on, go there. _

_Phew. Apologies, and thank you for all the reviews! They really helped me keep going when I felt simply burnt out from trying to draw my webcomic, or after practicing piano, or long bouts of mind numbing piano. *grimaces*. Okay. I'll stop whining again. Most of this was written while I was burnt out, but if I hadn't done it, this wouldn't have been written at all. But it's so much fun to write! So there might be gaping plot holes, and tell me if anything seems out of place, or weird. You ALL MUST BE MY BETA READERS!!! HAHAHAHAH!!!! And I think Aoshi was pretty OOC in this chapter, but it couldn't be helped. He's slowly becoming a little like Sano in Hanakimi - but they're sort of similar anyway. *waves Aoshi and Sano fangirl flag*_

_Okay. I thought that I would be able to get more out of this chapter, but ah well. Was there enough FLUFF and SAP there to satisfy your rabid A/M addiction? I gagged when I re-read this chapter - all that sappy fluff, I couldn't take it! Rather then keep on working and working on it, and you guys never seeing it, I figured I'd get down what needed to be got down, have you read it, and maybe improve it when I have time. Well, thanks for reading! Ja ne! Oh, and I just _had _to put a Gravitation cameo in. I've become depressingly obsessed with Gravi, up to the point of writing a fic about it. That was part of the reason this chapter's so late - I simply had to write _Bookworm _first, even though this chapter was half done at the time. Gomen! I really enjoyed writing that one as well. All Gravi fans go there!_

_Recently I've discovered a new mangaka I quite like - Shiina Ayumi, mangaka of Penguin Brothers and Dice. They're very shoujo-ish, but so entertaining!_

_Review Reply:_

_**Tiian: **Thanks for reviewing, even when you're in a hurry! _

_**lebluephoenix: **You waited for quite a long time. Sorry!_

_**Sabbie: **Not really...I haven't seen enough of Inspector Conan to really be a fan. But it was interesting..._

_**blue eyes: **Saaaaankyuuuu... ^_______^_

_**Neko-chan: **Good stuff? Where? Where? Oh, you hentai. *grin*_

_**aya-mikage2002: **Guy? I'm confused....._

_**Jess: **Thank you so freaking much. ^___^. Sorry. Tongue in cheek and everything...No really, thank you!_

_**Vesca: **Yes....Sleeeeep, and day dream of the naked cast of Rurouni Kenshin...*grins*_

_**Innocent Dreamer, Moon Goddess: **Um....Badly? Good thing everyone's gullible._

_**Noa: **Yay! Someone liked the bath scene! And yes....he has quite a lot to handle. Poor Aoshi, what did he ever do?_

_**JT: **Yes! I love A/M fics! Except the ones where Aoshi is a big fat meanie....*goes into favourite rant*_

_**dynast: **Thank you! Oh, my hanakimi addiction is getting way out of hand....I've learnt how to use Bots on MIRC, so I have access to all of the hanakimi chapters and I blew a lot of bandwidth away...heh. Oh dear. _

_**Carlin: ***grin* I only started replying to reviews with Meiji Heights, and I find people like it. Well, they go to the trouble of reviewing, so why shouldn't I reply? Besides, I feel special when my reviews get replied to as well. Hope there was enough sloppy A/M in that chapter. _

_**JML: **Nope not quite. The cat was stuffed back into the bag. XD_

_**Lea: **Well...so much for updating....I hope there were sweet moments though..._

_**Kmye-chan: ***grins evilly* Fluff, fluff, fluff.....I will make you regret ever asking for fluff!! HAHAHAH!!! ....It was fluffy right? It would be rather funny if they found that....But we have to wait a little while first, and I'm not sure if I'll even be able to do it, now that I've introduced Misao as his 'girlfriend.' *frowns* I might have to replan a few things..._

_**nekonomiko: **LUCKY!!!! I haven't actually seen the bath scene in Hanakimi yet. Which chapter is it? Because I got the ones before it, then miss the ones when they go up to for the school trip to Hokkaido, and get the chapters just when they COME BACK!!! *cries* And there are frustrating references to what happened too!_

_**Eternity's End: **That was probably Tales from the Meiji Era. I'm quite naughty with Mir-san, and I don't send her my update. *sweat drops* It's because I only check my mail every five months, and then there's too much to reply to, and I don't get around to actually sending stuff....Sorry Mir....Well, I don't know if his excuse was very creative..._

_**bee, Twinbakanekos: **Didn'twritemoresoon. Sorry._

_**Dragon Master Lytore: ***grin* Everyone must love Mulan. I know I do! And yes....I feel sorry for Misao too. I'm so evil. _

_**Yumeko: **Oh, you haven't read all of Kenshin yet? What a shame! And I think Saitou's pretty funny as well. He has some classy parts. Not really K/K though, I'm kind of lukewarm on that pairing. And I don't like it when people make Tomoe and Kaoru compete. *pouts* And I love my school's fast computers too. _

_**Megami no Ushi: **Uh...your name was showing up as Megami no Ushi...But you liked the shower scene!? YAY!!! ^__________^ _

_**Saicho-18: **I'm so mean, aren't I....in the last chapter, Misao gets all the humiliation, and in this chapter Aoshi gets laughed at. Dang. And I LIKE these characters._

_**animegrl712: **Never mind, if it's marshmellows, I forgive you. Besides, the sugar says good things! Listen to the sugar.....And that was a terrible cliff hanger, sorry. But I see why authors do it now...it gives you a sadistic feeling of pleasure to think of readers hurling things at their monitor..._

_**amarinda: **Wow! When I review a mulit-chapter fic, I'm lazy. I save my comments up for the last chapter, then promptly forget them. But you reviewed separate chapters! Thanks! _

_**trickster: **NOOOOO!!!! Don't give up! I promise I haven't! Really!!!!_

_**Waku-chan: **Oooh, you're naughty. Playing hooky eh? But yes. I'm sorry for the cliffhanger. _

_**Gochan: **Ah, shoujo...*grin* Sorry, but I seem to remember banging my computer monitor in frustration at the end of some of the chapter's for Rurouni's Guide. *cough cough* That hasn't updated for a while....*HINT HINT* Well, what else could Aoshi do? Considering by the time he was naked by the time he knew she was in there, he would probably be better off in the water, somewhat concealed. Well, he sort of took that last bit in his stride..._

_**Mica-chan: **There should be a little Okita, because I adore him as well. He's sooooo cool....*ahem* Yes. On with the A/M. Another fan of them! Score!_

_**soul: **mwahahahahaaaaa...._

_**Rae Nakai: **Yours is the review that made me feel so guilty that I ran off and wrote half a chapter of Meiji Heights instead of homework. I hate that feeling of sad disappointment when you check, but NO ONE'S UPDATED!!!!! WHY???? And you check me first? *watery eyes* soooooo sorry....._

_**IYandKH4ever: **Um, no. That didn't make entire sense. Well, they were sort of twins....no one commented that they look identical that's all...highly unrealistic I know. But she took care to look girly, and did her hair differently...in anime that makes all the difference! The hair! (Or so I tell myself...)_

_**Aishuu Shadowweaver: ***squeaks* You're reading me!? Sorry, it's just that I really like Secrets of the Souma and Prince of the Layer. They're so addictive. And not quite a twin sister...but...and yes, I got another Kenshin DVD the other day, and smiled every time Soujirou came on screen. *grins* I'm so sad...._

_**Volpa: ***grins* It's so much fun to write, so I'm glad other people think it's fun to read. ^_^_

_**Wolcan of Dragonfire: **Um....A month already? My my...where did all that time go....*shuffles feet*. Thanks....Hey, how can you stand Ginger Ale? Ewwwww......._

_Wow....181 reviews....people were reviewing as recently as yesterday. Thanks everyone! Your reviews really encourage me!_


	10. Part 10: Kenshin's Girls

Once I was safely out of sight from the others, I let loose with some of Shishou's famed 'god-speed'. The night shrouded school flashed past me, dusky light reflecting off silent classrooms. It was eerily silent, the only sound my shoes touching down lightly on the gravel every now and then, and the wind whistling past my ears, numbing the tips.

I reached the gym all to quickly, and cocked my head upon seeing the back storeroom's light was open, in the otherwise dark gym. And quiet hushed voices.

"Did you ever consider that this is really stupid? Fighting in the dark? Remind me why we're doing this in the dark again?"

"Because those great big bloody main lights will bring everyone to the building, moron. If we want time to duel, we have to fight like this."

"Feh."

_Duel? In the dark? What on earth is this?_

I peeked through the doors, eyebrows feeling like they were about to reach my scalp. Yahiko and Enishi had squared off, silhouettes of black on yellow-grey. Each had a peculiarly familar sword in hand... _Kamiya-san and Yukishiro-san were so worried, and their little brothers have been hiding to fight? With _my _swords no less?_

"We've already tried a couple of times though! Its not working! We keep on tripping on the bloody gym mats!"

"_You _keep on tripping on the gym mats."

"Why do I have to use this weird sword anyway? The blade's reversed, and the balance is all weird!"

"Well, I'm not used to using a _wakizashi _either, so we're even!"

I stepped through the doors, not bothering to conceal my presence. "I believe those are my swords, that they are."

Both boys' heads swung my way, mouths ajar.

* * *

Meiji Heights  
By Aishiteru  
Part 10: Kenshin's Girls

* * *

I shook my head wearily at Megumi-san's question. "I had my swords last night, because I took them off Kamiya-san and Yukishiro-san's younger brothers. I left them in the gym for people to view after the kendo matches and they found them....They were quite intent on using them too, that they were."

"Ara! Such a pair of boys....I don't know how Yukishiro-san and Kamiya-san manage. My little sisters are balls of mischief, but at least they're fairly obedient."

I laughed. "I'm sure I caused Shishou some distress during my childhood, that I did. He swears I'm the reason he never married."

Megumi laughed as well, tossing her long hair silkily over one shoulder. I always thought she had such force of character - it was a tangible strength. "Ken-san," she began. I had the oddest feeling she was about to ask me about something, when first a madly cackling Sano crashed between us, followed closely by an infuriated Masaru.

"Saaaaaaaano!!!! Give my homework back!"

"Make me, weasel! I'm not giving it back until you tell me where you were last night!"

I watched, bug-eyed. _Surely even Sano can't be _that _thick, is he? Surely not...._

"He really is a rooster head," Megumi muttered, hands on hips. 

Successfully evading, Sano crashed right in Aoshi, who calmly snatched the hunted homework from a flailing hand. Sano crashed to the floor. "Dammit! Jeez, Shinomori..."

Megumi-san and I elected to turn around, and take another route to the labs. 

"Ken-san," Megumi began again. She hesitated for a split second. "Do you..."

"Do I?" I cocked my head in her direction, and groaned mentally. Why did I have to be so short? Taller girls like Megumi and Tomoe were all above my height, and my being short certainly didn't help with people mistaking me for a girl.

She shook her head slightly. "Do you really think that Masaru-kun...and...um, Misao, and Shinomori-san...well..." her words floundered.

"The bruises, and the startling....resemblance between the...cousins, you mean?" I asked dryly. "I'm sure Aoshi and_ Masaru-kun_ have a reason. They'll tell us when they're ready."

I trusted Aoshi's judgment. Even though everything seemed extremely peculiar, he would have his own reasons.

"If you say so..." Megumi replied somewhat doubtfully, and absently twirled a long strand of hair around a finger. "Anyway, let's go, we're going to be late!"

As if to prove her point, the second bell rang. 

* * *

"Faster, my idiotic pupil. I'm starting the count again."

I groaned to myself. Shishou was truly a sadist - armed with a jug of sake and a stopwatch.

_"Ryuu Shou Sen. Ryou Kan Sen." _

I whirled, weighted shinai blurring in my hands. It was strange using the practice tool - it never felt the same as a real sword. While they might be weighted exactly the same, a steel sword just had that added heft, imaginary or no. My breath was starting to come faster, though I struggled to keep it deep and measured, filling my lungs to the utmost. Deep and steady, through the nose, out the mouth. The moves were simply flowing into each other, and my mind drifted into the drill, shishou's droning voice calling out the moves receding into the distance.

Kamiya-san and Yukishiro-san's younger brothers had looked so surprised when I had disarmed them so easily. The thought of their shocked faces as I grabbed them by their collars and slung them under an arm each brought a smile to my face. 

_"It's girly man!"_

_"Your swords? Hah!"_

_Thwack._

"Ow!"

I rubbed my face, where Shishou had thrown the stopwatch with unerring accuracy. "Keep your mind on things, idiot."

"As you say, Shishou," I sighed resignedly, and we began again.

Something told me he had been notified of the tournament again. Normally, things still hadn't been scheduled out exactly - but they would be in the second phase of planning probably.

"Again!"

"Shishou!"

"No whining!"

Why did I even bother coming home every Friday?

* * *

I usually found History quite interesting, but Shishou had given me such a vigorous workout all weekend - and very little sleep - that I found myself nodding off all day. 

"Himura-kun. Himura-kun!"

I jerked up to the sound of Yamagata-sensei's increasingly irritated voice, and some quiet snickers from my _friends. _ Great. 

"Please take one." Sensei's disapproving voice, a box full of torn up slips of paper. Oh. There must be group assignments. I took one, and Sensei continued around the classroom, shooting a warning glare over one shoulder.

I did my best to stay awake.

"Boys, please read out your partners. Girls, read out your topics, once you know your partners, and I will record who is doing what."

"Kiyosato Akira, sensei." First row, on the right. "I'll be working with Kamiya Kaoru."

"We have _The Origins of the Tale of Genji, _sensei."

"Right. Next."

"Sagara Sanosuke." Rustle of unfolding paper. I hurriedly unfolded mine too, then just stared. "Amakusa Sayo."

"Christianity in Japan."

"Shinomori Aoshi." Aoshi's usual deadpan voice. "Sekihara Tae."

"Western influences in the Meiji Era."

"Makimachi Masaru and Takani Megumi."

"The development of traditional medicine in Japan."

Me next. "Himura Kenshin." My voice cracked, but only a little, and I didn't think anyone would notice. "Yukishiro Tomoe."

Yukishiro-san's voice sounded amazingly calm. "Famous figures of the Bakamatsu."

"Katsuhiro Tsuikioka and Sekihara Sae."

"The development of art in Japan."

On an on, partners and topics were read out. 

"In researching, please refer to the guidelines I have given on the sheet - these are very open topics, and we do not want you doing too much or more likely, too little." A sharp bite to Yamagata-sensei's words - his moustache quivered indignantly. "I will remind you that this assignment accounts for thirty percent of your grade. Now, next lesson we will be in the library. Please remember to record all bibliographic details; let's go over the process again...."

I tried to resist the urge to sink my poor sleep deprived head on my arms. There was a quiver of anxiety in my belly, as I glanced at the scrap of paper bearing _Yukishiro Tomoe_ in neat script.

Why on earth was I so nervous at the prospect of working with her? It wasn't that I was afraid she wouldn't do her fair share of work, or take the project over entirely. Yukishiro-san was an incredibly thoughtful person. 

So just why was I so nervous?

* * *

"Make way!" Kamiya-san bellowed down the corridor, peering precariously around a huge stack of fliers. I would have helped her, except I held a similar stack already.

Meiji High's formal was in two weeks. It was earth shaking news! Really!

Well, to most of the female half of the school, it was, I guess. Most of the guys were either groaning at the thought of getting into formal clothes. As Sano had said, "What? I can't wear my sneakers? And I have to wear a tie?" 

That was a perfect example of how most of them felt. The other half was agonizing over whether or not they should actually ask the girl they liked out. The love letters fell thick and fast out of shoe lockers[1] at this time of the year. Naturally, that lead to sobbing dismay or joyful exultation depending on whether or not the letter was accepted. Every year I had to turn some girls down. Previous years, I had been able to escape by not going to the formal at all, but this year, Shishou had told me quite firmly it was 'the appropriate time for me to go.' What did _that _mean?

What was I going to do? I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings...

"Wait! Look at all these bulletin boards, Kenshin. Let's put some posters up." 

"Good idea, Kamiya-san."

"Kenshin! I told you to call me Ka-o-ru. Or at least Kaoru-san, if you have to be polite." She smiled cheerfully, taking out any sting that might have been there out of her words. What could I do, but smile back at her?

I began to staple posters up, strategically placed along the bulletin board. My sleeves fell back, and I irritably shoved them back down, but not before Kaoru saw...

"Kenshin! What happened to you!?" She grabbed my arm -but carefully- and slid the sleeve up. I looked down with her, long bangs falling into my face, stripes of ignored crimson in front of my vision. 

My arm was not a pretty sight. Livid with old and new bruises from the intense training Shishou had begun to give me, my arms were perhaps the most bruised part of my body. I couldn't always block Shishou with my sword, but I was fast enough to block any that came through with my arms. Although Shishou always said that was a damned good way to get my arms cut off when I faced someone with a real sword in the arena, it saved me from aching ribs and shoulders. There was a particularly fine pattern of blue, black and vague purple, an almost perfect impression of the cane that made up the shinai Shishou and I had sparred with this weekend.

"Kenshin, has someone been beating you?" Her clear blue eyes had darkened to midnight in concern, brow furrowed. 

Hurriedly I snatched my arm away from her. "It's nothing. Please don't worry about it, Kaoru-san." She would never believe I was perfectly capable of defending myself, not with my slight physique and the performance I had given during the kendo matches. 

We resumed posting the fliers around the school, but I could feel her troubled gaze. I avoided it as best as I could.

* * *

"The arrangements for the decorations - Kenshin, I can't find the form." 

I riffled through my folder, then oro-ed. "Kaoru-san, I'm afraid I left them in my shoe locker this morning."

"Mou! Let's go get it then." She jumped easily to her feet. We wound our way around everyone - the Student Council had it's hands full for organizing the formal. I was just glad that I had Kaoru to help me with the decorations, and equally glad I wasn't responsible for the food. Sano and Megumi were in charge of that, and there had been much (figurative) hair pulling.

We trooped down to the lockers, and I opened the door only to have a small mountain of scented stationary flutter down to my feet. I blushed, and groaned silently in chagrin. How many letters would I get? I hurriedly picked them up and stuffed them back into my locker, after getting out the appropriate forms. I didn't know _what _to say to Kaoru-san. 

She laughed suddenly. "Kenshin," she choked. "You've gone completely red." 

"Oro!"

"I-I didn't," choke, giggle, "know you were so popular Kenshin!"

"Kaoru-san!" I exclaimed indignantly. "Stop teasing me, that you are!"

She managed to calm herself down. "I'm sorry Kenshin, but it's just sweet how you went so red. I thought you would be used to that kind of thing by now."

"Used to it!?" I yelped. "How can I get used to it? Every year I have to tell all these girls I'm not interested, and they always looks so sad. It's the worst when they actually start to cry, and then I feel like a jerk."

"Ne....Why don't you accept any of them?"

I frowned thoughtfully. "I guess...I don't really have time for a relationship. And I don't really want to date someone I don't know - I mean why do they want to go out with me?"

"I see." 

We continued back up to the student lounge. 

"Ne. Kenshin."

"Yes?"

"You don't have a date for the formal, right?"

I shook my head.

"Would you...like to go with me? Just as friends," she said hurriedly, as I looked at her in surprise.

My brain took a moment to process, my eyes wide. Then I simply smiled. "I would be honored to escort you, Kaoru-san."

It was her turn to go red, and then we both began to laugh.

* * *

[1 ] Love letters in shoe lockers: It's sort of a custom to leave a love letter in the person you like's shoe locker. In Japanese schools, students have one set of indoor shoes, and one set of outdoor shoes. You go around school in the indoor ones, and keep the floors (sort of) clean, and come to school and go home in some other sort of pair of shoes. Visitors wear slippers, and westerners usually have all sorts of trouble, because we have bigger feet. Oh no.

_Author's Note: THANKS GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of you, no two of you guys nominated then seconded me in the RK Awards! Or possibly four of you, 'cos I'm in AU and Humour! I was just blown away by it - thank you all so much!! That's the biggest compliment anyone has ever given to me! If the people who nominated me would like to come forward, maybe I can do something for you - write you a thank you fic or something. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_On a less pleasant note, it's been two months since I updated. A long time, ne? I apologize to all the readers for this, but it's really beyond my control. (Oh no I sound like John Malkovich). I have a lot of things that simply have more priority to fanfiction writing, as much as I would like it to be otherwise. Schoolwork has to take precedence. But, my exams just finished - I get a six day weekend! Hurrah! And three weeks after this, I have two weeks holiday. So I'll try to squeeze out some chapters. Be warned though - I'm also trying to start up my very own webcomic, and that's also biting into my spare time and creative energy. Anyway, when I've got something I can show you properly for my webcomic, (as opposed to huge 300 d.p.i pictures) I'll post a link somehow, and show what I've been working so hard on._

_Anyway, this chapter is rather shorter then the norm, (by about 1000 words) mainly because it's just a 'setting things up' kind of chapter. I thought about trying to bulk it up for you guys, but it would be kind of pointless. It did everything I needed this chapter to do, so...Quantity is not Quality, and all that crap. Did I mention something about Meiji High's school formal in a previous chapter? I'm sure I did, but I re-read, and stuff, and I couldn't find it. If you guys find the reference, please tell me. Anyway, a lot of the stuff in this chapter leads onto the more plot - the history joint assignments, the formal, Kaoru noticing Kenshin's bruises, etc. _

_Sorry for the wait!_

_Review Replies:_

_SAabie: As you can see, my updates are getting increasingly sporadic...oops._

_aya: Guy....? *mystified*_

_Rae Nakai: Yeah, sure you aren't. ^__^ Glad the update made you happy. Sorry for the lateness!_

_selene: Poor Aoshi! Heehee._

_Kmye-chan: Fluff fluff fluff fluff....It should be called Meiji Fluff...Amazingly unrealistic you mean, that no one recognized Misao. I tried to address that in this chapter. _

_Innocent Dreamer: ^_^_

_Aishuu: I think your fics are beautiful. And what do you mean you can't write humour! *points indignantly to 'Lessons on how to make a bishounen snap, and Fan Mail*. Love the HnG stuff, keep it up! I would write for HnG...except....Sai was my favourite character and he .... WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!! _

_Dragon Master Lytore: Who cares if you can't sing! The microphones all have that inbuilt echo to make you sound good anyway._

_chibi-ken: Yup. Sano=Idiot. I still like him though. He provides convenient comic relief._

_Mica-chan: You mean it was stupid, and plot holed and unrealistic? I agree. But I tried to address it somewhat in this chapter....Forgive me!_

_Bee: Thank you....Lovely reviewers like you who don't nag effectively make me feel really guilty....T_T_

_Phoe-chan: I know! In so many fics Aoshi's a big fat idiot, who does all this mean stuff to Misao, and WE KNOW HE ISN'T LIKE THAT!!! _

_JML: Of course I know Kamatari is a cross dressing guy! Wait and see...Rakuninmura I meant. That's a good idea though, using Rengoku...too bad I didn't think about it when I was brainstorming for names for the schools. I really can't be bothered going through and changing all the Rakuninmura's to Rengoku's though._

_Fallen Virtue: Hehehehehe. I'm going to have fun with the Kamatari-Shishio-Yumi triangle...soon to expand. *laughs manically*_

_ blue eyes: ......sorry! Still, Aoshi and Misao haven't really come out yet..._

_Eternity's End: Oooh! I might use that! Mwahahah!_

_Neko-chan: Yes ma'am! *types busily* _

_maryd: *grin* A lot of it is just spoofs of Kenshin, and the other stuff is just produced from a massive overload of shoujo manga._

_linh: I know, A/M is so rare...*drowns in a sea of Soujirou/Misao fics*_

_Katisha: Quite right....bruise alert! To tell the truth, I conveniently forgot about her bruises...lucky you reminded me before a massive plot hole could develop. Yeah, it took me a while to like AU stuff as well - I got into it by reading stuff that changed little things in the actual series, then it took off from there. I really like A/M to, and there's not enough coverage on them!_

_Noa: *cheesy grin* perhaps..._

_tenshineko: You hentai! Aoshi is too much a gentleman to do that sort of thing! Yup, Kaoru is very lucky - but how long can her luck hold out? And Aoshi's friends are so evil...They're the Kenshingumi!_

_Megami no Ushi: WAAAAAAIIII!!!!!!! Lucky! You can actually buy the TCP manga!? Luckyluckylucky!!!! I'm still just waiting for the scanlations to come out....waaaaaaaaah! There's another good series, and it's all been scanlated, which is lucky for me. It's another gender crossing one, but it's a guy dressing up as a girl. It's called Minto na Bokura, and it had me snickering helplessly. Fluff and embarrassing scenes on the way!_

_dynast: Hmm...I don't really plan to cover that too much...you'll have to use your imagination. Sorry! And ah, MIRC goodness..._

_bittersweetandkandy: Well, you could call it WAFF. Heehee. 'Fraid I updated as soon as I could though, though that wasn't particularly quick._

_Vesca: I would be truly afraid if I was Aoshi right now._

_lebleuphoenix: It's in Chapter 4. I'm not surprised you forgot - everytime I start writing I have to re-read the previous chapters, and I still miss things._

_Tiian: Plot...Excellent? Elements of a good fic? T_T ^________^. The characters are fun, but as for the other stuff...I don't know what you were reading, but thaaaaaaaaaank you!!!!!_

_saicho-18: Really!? He's not getting to OOC? _

_Bumblebee-Queen: Pseudo shounen-ai....I flirted with playing with that, because it's just so damn funny (e.g Nakatsu and Mizuki in Hanakimi) but it just didn't really fit for Aoshi. I too know the frustration of plot lines too long drawn out. So I decided I wouldn't do it for too long in Meiji. Misao posing as a guy is just kind of the 'hook' to draw readers in - and then the plot should get deeper._

_pratz: This is by far the most girly fic I have written. I write it when I've overloaded on girl's manga. Ah, my other account has all this dark violent stuff in it, and this one is all fluff._

_alissa: oh be quiet, lala._

_ Princess Amelia: I updated as soon as I could! I swear!_

_Flame Angel: Heh...I tried, I really did. Do you like Flame of Recca by the way?_

_trickster: That would be a better excuse. But he just said the first thing that jumped into his mind...girl+naked+room=??? Heh. Plus, it makes the A/M stuff move along a bit more._

_FlameSolo: That's okay - when I checked you had already solved everything! I hate it when ff.net does that...I guess it just shows us how popular the site is._

_IYandKH4ever: Sort of. Well, not really, but he tried his best._

_little chobit: Aw, thanks! I get my ideas when I read too much girl's manga - they're full of mush and weird scenarios like this. And I bet you can be - a lot of writing is just practice, and getting to know how to use the language to your best advantage. Fanfiction is very good practice for me, because you don't have to develop the characters so much - people already know what to expect from them._

_Mai: I'm trying!_

_GOINCRAZY: I update as fast as I can!_

_Gochan: I do that all the time. Don't worry about it. Heehee. And I'll definately be voting for you in the humour section of the RKawards - Rurouni's Guide kicks ass all over the other humour stories, though I have to admit Rurouni Kenshin and the Holy Sakabatou made me giggle._

_Ayako: Yes! The series is ten times better then my fiction! Although some other people's fics come pretty damn close to capturing the feel of the series..._

_mischief14: thanks for the compliments....I'm SOOOOOOORRRY!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_Erithe: I'm sorry...I haven't updated in so looong..._

_Eiko: Um. I'll try. The first POV limits that kind of thing, but I'll try. _

_TwinBakaNekos: Don't give up! WAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!_

_nekonomiko: I STILL haven't been able to get that chapter. Argh! Nah, I don't think I'll have Misao sleep walk...Meiji has a lot of similarities to Hanakimi, bt I've never deliberately taken a part of the plot._

_okiedokie: The "good" stuff huh? It's a high school fic, you ecchi!!!_

_snow blossums: Sou-chan? Maybe a little...But I really like Soujirou, so he won't be an ass._

_maggs: Thank you! And you didn't nag me too...THANK YOU!!!_

_futago: I'm like that too, so I know how much it means for you to review something. I like reviews - they encourage me._

_sawdust monster: Really? I've got a couple of other people lined up - the love triangle/quadrangle/dodecahedrons are going to get worse. Heh._

_Dark Phoenix: I know they would typically be called the kenpo-bu, but you know how sometimes they give football teams at school names? It's that sort of thing. And I like Tomoe too much to kill her off, or make her.....bleeech. Poor Tomoe. And there's more of Saitoh coming up! Heehee. And of course Aoshi is smarter then that! I love One Half too. Hehehee...I had fun with the Kiyosato/Kenshin mess. You may be disappointed - I plan to rock the boat with Kiyosato and Tomoe, because Tomoe and Kenshin were just so damn sweet together. I love Soujirou too! And I wanted to show that him and Misao are quite close. I don't know...Aoshi's good at most things, he might be good at singing! There's on fairly well known fic on ff.net actually, that makes Aoshi the lead singer of a band, I seem to remember..."Straight Edge"...Am I totally wrong? And my god, you reviewed every chapter but 3! Amazing! _

_gautama: I know it turns readers off, but there are reasons why I can't get them out as quickly as I used to. 1) My plans ran out, and massive remodelling of the plot has to be done, before I run into holes. 2) I've got an increasingly heavy school work burden, and that takes up a lot of my time. 3) I'm trying to start up a webcomic, and planning, drawing and colouring that takes up a lot of my time and creative energy. When people say they're disappointed I haven't updated, believe me, I'm disappointed too. I just wish I had more time to allocate to my fics. I admit I've been neglecting Meiji Heights shamefully though. The characters of Gravitation kept on hogging my writing time. _

_Espi: Thanks for pointing it out! It would seem kind of odd - but they just kind of disappeared didn't they? I just assumed readers would think he put them away somewhere - and only Aoshi really noticed that he had them. The others were too caught up by the appearance of Yahiko and Enishi._

_Whoa, I'm quite tired after replying to all those reviews. Thanks for all of them though! You all keep me encouraged, even the naggers. Too much nagging makes Aishiteru crabby though - I want to write as much as you guys want to read._


	11. Part 11: You've Got Mail

My face will, from this day forth, be ever bright red.

For various reasons, for the last couple of days, it feels like I've been blushing constantly because of one reason or the other. People keep clapping me on the back. and congratulating me on beating 'that big over inflated gorilla' up, all for Meiji High's pride. That's actually kind of nice, really - I wouldn't mind if that was my only reason for blushing.

Unfortunately, it is not.

Every time I run into Aoshi-sama, _those_ scenes start replaying through my head. Yes, you know which ones I mean. 

The ones where he......and I....and the stupid train! And stupid Sano and his off putting remarks! Kyaaa!

Naturally, with such thoughts in my head, all the blood in my body rushes up to drown them, and my face goes bright red. I don't even need to _see_ Aoshi-sama; it can be just hearing his voice, or even someone just _saying his name_. Argh!

And thus, my face being red all the time. It's pretty understandable, don't you think? Between all the blushing I've scarcely had any time at all to worry if my 'secret' is still safe. Fat chance. I woke up the morning later, and saw the huge bruise on my face from the kenpo match. It was already coming up when we went out - if anyone didn't see it when I was being 'Misao' then they're blind. And if they didn't connect the facts then, they're very stupid. 

They'd have to be almost as stupid as me!

* * *

Meiji Heights  
Part 11: You've got mail!

* * *

Clean up duty was the worst. I had kenpo practice to go to, and instead here I was, picking rubbish up in the corridor, and then running up and down it with my trusty companion, a dripping mop. Blech. Outside, everyone else was still congregated in little gossiping clusters, drifting off toward their club practices - just a bit more and I would be able to go.

"Oi, Makimachi!" A rough shout down the hall. It was a sempai from 2-C.

I looked at him inquiringly. He shook his head at me disbelievingly. "There's an incredibly hot girl waiting for you at the entrance, Makimachi. She asked me to go 'remind' you of your date."

_WHAT!?_

Stunner number one: Hot girl? Stunner number two: Waiting for me? Not exactly what I want to hear! Stunner number three: Date!?

"Jeez, Makimachi, if I had a date with someone that good looking, you wouldn't catch me mopping floors before hand. What're you doing!?" He grabbed the mop from me. "It's my duty as a man to send you down - _and_ you can give me her number when you get sick of her, ne?" 

I attempted a smile in response to his leering wink, and beat a quick exit. I wanted to know just _who _exactly I had a date with.

* * *

There was an unexpected crowd at the entrance of the school - along with the curious looking secretary peering from the glass windows of her office, there was an excess of.....boys, all of them hanging of the words of my 'date.' Which I currently couldn't see, due to the crowd of boys around her, but her voice was quite eerily familiar. 

"I don't know why I put up with him....But Ma-chan is just _so _cute, and he normally _always _tries to help me....He's just like a little brother! That's why I wanted to give him a treat today....I don't know what's keeping him...." All was said in dulcet pouting tones, which seemed to incite the horde of fanboys to sympathetic murmurs. 

"Ano...excuse me." The crowd parted magically for me, though not without some resentful muttering. I tugged at the high necked collar of my uniform nervously. I had put it on this morning because it was unseasonably cold, but right now I was nervously sweaty. 

And from the masses, smiling prettily, was Komagata Yumi, Sou-kun's step-sister. In her short skirted uniform, the neckline 'modified' to display her ample cleavage, she was a sight for male eyes. It made me.....okay, maybe I'm destined for a lifetime of being one colour or another. I was definitely green at that moment. The gleam in her eyes was at it's manipulative best, and inwardly I groaned, and braced myself for the storm. 

_She knows! She must of seen me when she caught up with Shishio...no, wait I was dressed as a girl then....so how could she know?_

Sou-kun.

For some reason, Sou-kun had told her.

Right then, I could have cheerfully throttled my best friend.

"Ara....Masaru-chan, you don't look happy to see me at all...You don't _want _me to visit you at school?" She pouted, full lower lip displayed to the appreciation of all males gathered. They rushed to reassure Yumi that she was _always _welcome at Meiji High. I was mentally throwing up. Gag.

"I didn't realize you were coming to visit me today, _Yumi-neesan." _I grated. 

Her smile grew slightly fixed - it drove her insane when someone called her 'older sister'. Something about it making her sound old, especially when Sou-kun and I were only a year younger then her, and he wasn't her real brother anyway, a step-adopted-cousin-brother really. "Didn't you get my message? I wanted to take you out today....so we could catch up. It's been too long since I last saw you." She laid one hand lingeringly on my shoulder, to the palpable sighs of envy from the admiring throng. I tried not to run screaming - it was rather creepy to me being the object of Yumi's 'womanly charms'. 

"Ano....I'm _so _sorry, Yumi-neesan, but I have kenpo practice today, so...." I prepared to sidle away, only to be grabbed by several pairs of arms attached to belligerent looking boys when tears appeared in large vacant appearing eyes.

"Oi, she came all the way here, the least you can do is go out with her, Makimachi!" seemed to be the common consensus. And:

"We'll tell Shinomori why you're not at practice, even the Icicle wouldn't deny you a date with Yumi-chan."

And just like that, Yumi kidnapped me from school.

* * *

She took me to a little cafe on a side street. It looked expensive, and I didn't have a single yen on me. She noticed my look, then raised a perfectly (_and artificially,_ I thought nastily) shaped eyebrow. "I said that it was my treat, didn't I?" Away from her admirers, her tone was brisk, authoritative, and businesslike. "Come on." 

Once in, she ordered a cappuccino. I ordered hot chocolate, and flushed at her derisive smile. _So what if I still like chocolate milk? It's healthier then being addicted to caffeine. _

We settled down to our drinks. She sipped hers thoughtfully, regarded me over the rim, then set it down with a quiet _clink_. "That's an...interesting look, Misao-chan."

I attempted not to splutter over my milk, and burned my tongue instead. I looked around somewhat nervously - some of the richer members of school could possibly be patrons of this cafe. Today, they weren't. Thank goodness.

"What about it?" My attempt at being casual was ruined by the nervous waver in my voice.

She smiled, deceptively pleasant. "I have a feeling that you're classmates would quite interested to know of this, 'Masaru-kun'." 

Okay, there was no way I was going to play along with her little game of cat and mouse. I set _my_ cup down with a much louder _clunk. _"You're _blackmailing _me?"

Flash of predatory white teeth. "Let's just say....you've got mail."

_Clunk. _This time it was my head hitting the table, as I face faulted. "Um....Wouldn't that require _me _having something _you _want?"

"Precisely."

Silence.

"You have to tell me what you want, you know."

Another slyly arched eyebrow. "Don't you already _know, _Misao-chan?"

"No idea." I replied shortly. 

She rolled her eyes, and leaned forward. I was in a vantage view that many males would die happy after achieving. "Look, you were there that night, weren't you? I saw you there, dressed as girl for once. Your taste in clothes seems to have improved though, when you're actually dressing like one-"

"My friends dressed me," I said flatly. "And that also brings up the point, _how exactly do you know?"_

She smirked. "Please. You and Sou-kun used to talk almost every weekend when school started. Sou-kun would come home from school on the weekend. There is a phone in my room where I can listen at home. Although-" she added thoughtfully, "it was by complete accident the first time. I picked up to ring Makoto, and Sou-kun made some sort of comment about your charade. Naturally I listened in a few more times to see exactly what your situation was. It was.....enlightening, to say the least."

My shoulders had slumped lower with her every word.

"Anyway, that's besides the point. You were there that night that I found Shishio and that-" Her fingers tightened around her cup. Suddenly manicured nails looked positively deadly. "-that _Kamatari _together."

She made it sound like she had found them together in bed or something, rather then in a huge crowd of friends. Come to think of it, although I had had other things on my mind that night (_like Aoshi-sama) _I didn't recall Shishio behaving that...well, romantic towards Kamatari. In fact, despite her being the only girl in his group, he hadn't really treated her any differently from the others. 

Not that I was going to share my observations with Yumi. It was unlikely she would believe me anyway.

"Shishio..." her voice weakened for a moment. "Shishio has gone too far this time. But I mean to make him want me back, Misao-chan." There was a ominously steely tone to her words. "I want you to set me up with that guy you were next to that night."

I choked, and I hadn't even touched my hot chocolate again since burning my tongue. "You WHAT!?" 

Brown eyes narrowed. "You heard me. I want to go out with that.....Shinomori, did Sou-kun say? He's good looking and well built enough to arouse Shishio's protective instincts. I think he'd look rather good in a suit, don't you? Isn't your formal coming up in a few weeks? He can take me to it, perhaps...He's the school president isn't he? Or at least on the Student Council. That's sure to make Shishio quite irritated - that I've picked someone rather equal to him. And I heard he's the captain of your little kenpo club. He shouldn't be beaten too badly by Shishio-sama in the end, or in the very least, he should be used to it."

All the dishes on the table rattled suddenly, and that was because I had jumped up and slammed my palms against the table. A distant part of myself noted with some relief that nothing was broken. It all looked _expensive. _"You take that back," I practically hissed. I _was _about to shout, but my jumping up had attracted enough attention. "Aoshi-sama could beat Shishio hands down any day. Aoshi-sama....is the strongest person I know! You don't know _anything _about him, so don't you dareinsult him like that!"

She looked at me for one moment, and then her eyes widened, and I felt a burst of anger as she began to laugh. "Oh my." 

I glared at her furiously while she composed herself. "Oooh my. Misao-chan, you _are _a girl after all."

Anger drained into mystification. She took one look at my perplexed face, and began to laugh again. "Misao-chan, from that little burst of outrage there, you have a _bad _case of infatuations going on with....Aoshi-sama?....and you don't even realize it. Don't worry, you can have him back when I'm done!"

My jaw worked soundlessly.

"He _is _very good looking, which is why I selected him, but really, everything is for Shishio." She sighed, and re-crossed her legs. Long legs, flawless as far as I could see, even though her ankles did look like they would snap. And those were amazingly high heels....

"So, yes, he's all yours after _my _little charade is done. But it's really cruel of you, you know, to poor Sou-kun."

I stared at her blankly. "What does Sou-kun have to do with this?"

Irritatingly, her mirth spilled over into laughter again. I was just _so _amusing today! "You really are dense. If you don't know....well, it's not my place to tell you."

She produced her wallet from a miniscule hand bag - it was a mystery to me how she fit anything at all in that tiny square of fabric. It was all handle. Long graceful fingers flicked out a few notes onto the table. 

"Anyway, I have your cell phone number from Sou-kun. Here's mine." She slid what looked like a _business card _across the table. "Call me and tell me the details of when 'Aoshi-sama'-" another wicked smile "-will take me out."

* * *

"I'm really sorry, Mi-chan." Sou-kun certainly sounded repentant enough, even though mere minutes before, he had howled with laughter, when I had relayed an edited version of what had happened between Yumi and I. There was no way I was going to repeat her comment about him, even though I really wanted to know what she meant. And even less chance about relaying her assumptions of my feelings for Aoshi-sama. I didn't _have _feelings for Aoshi-sama. He was a sempai, and my friend. That was all. Even though he _was _good-looking, and smart, and probably would look good in a suit....In fact _did _look good in a suit, thinking back to that dinner at Omasu and Okon's house. 

"-Is there anything I can do?"

I realized I had zoned out sometime during talking to Sou-kun, which was really incredibly rude, particularly because he was my best friend. I took a second to process his last words. 

"Make her stop," I groaned. "I have no idea how toapproach Aoshi-sama with something like this. What am I supposed to say? And you and her act like real brother and sister rather then adopted step cousin things usually."

"She's my step-cousin," Sou-kun corrected meticulously. "And I've been adopted into the family, so we _are _siblings by law. And in heart most of the time. There's just times I really wish we weren't. Like now. Like when my best friend asks me to stop my sister when she's absolutely determined to do this."

"Out of the question, huh?" I replied dryly. "Some best friend you are."

"I can try. But I already know whatever I say to _her _won't work. She thinks this is the only way she can attract Shishio-sama's attention ever again, which is really stupid because he's kind of worried about her. As much as Shishio-sama can worry. But she refuses to talk to him, and Shishio-sama's not the type to beg after her with that kind of treatment. And now it's all a big mess, and I'm stuck between them." He concluded sourly. 

"Smile away, Sou-kun." I teased. "You're smile cheers everyone up."

He groaned. "My face will crack if I smile anymore around them. Besides, it's dangerous to look remotely happy or sad or anything that might annoy them - it's like both of them are surrounded in thunderclouds, and anyone might get caught by a stray bolt of lightning. But I smile anyway, otherwise I'll just look terrified, and I don't think that'll make them very happy."

It felt good to simply talk with Sou-kun again - I hadn't done that for quite a while. It was hard being a boy, though not as much anymore - but when I was with him, I could lapse into my normal speech patterns, although by sheer force of habit, some boyish intonations seemed to have imbedded themselves into my speech, which made him laugh when he noticed. It reminded me that he was my closest and oldest friend, even though we had been separated by long months.

"Anyway, I'll try my best to bring Yumi and Shishio around. What'll you do?"

I let out a long breath. "Try to get up the nerve to ask Aoshi-sama about this. I've got no idea how he'll react, except it'll probably involve the word 'no.'"

"Why do you think that?" Sou-kun asked curiously. "Most guys would jump to go out with Yumi-neesan. She's pretty, she's got a good body, she can be intelligent or brainless depending on who she's trying to charm.....what's there that most males wouldn't like?"

I froze for a moment, and the phone slipped from my suddenly numb fingers, startling me out of my shock. I managed to catch the phone before it hit the floor, without Sou-kun knowing anything was amiss.

"......I guess you're right, Sou-kun. That makes it a lot easier to ask, ne?"

"Maybe it would be better not to mention that she's only doing it to make Shishio jealous. That might make some guys annoyed, right?"

"No....I better tell him everything about the situation. It wouldn't be fair to Aoshi-sama otherwise."

'That's true."

We spoke a little more, but in a distracted haphazard way, and about nothing of importance. I think we discussed the weather, what was on TV, and what we respectively had for dinner. Finally we said out good nights, and I returned back to the dorms from the phones.

I paused, and mentally took a deep breath.

It was time to ask Aoshi-sama. If I waited, if I thought about anything at all for too long (_like why you were _hoping _he would say no to a date with Yumi) _then I would simply never have the nerve to ask him at all.

His back was turned to the door as he sat at his desk, chin resting one hand, a pen flicking through the long fingers of the other. He looked tired, and I bit my lip.

"Ano....Aoshi-sama? ...Can I ask you something?"

* * *

Evil cliffhanger that was not meant to be a cliffhanger. Maybe I'll edit it later on. Sorry!

_Okay, I can't believe that I'm perpetrating in one of the Great Soppy Myths of Teenage Fiction - the Dance/Disco/Prom whatever you want to call it. In this case, the Formal. (Particularly since I'm NOT attending my own formal, which is this very weekend. I was _supposed _to, but guess who left the Hated Loathed Repugnant Torturous You Get My Idea Dress Shopping too late? Hee hee. Well, whaaaaaat a pity.) Okay, no bad to you if you like the damn things, by I happen to....not. However. A Formal is a good place to make things tick, especially in that gooey, romantic, particularly adolescent way. And it is part of a shoujo/fanfiction cliche. So. Hence the events that happen in this chapter. But a Formal is my idea of HELL, next to going to a disco/nightclub. They both involve uncomfortable clothing, and dancing, two things I abhor. So, there you go. And everything won't end up happily ever after at the Prom like happens in countless movies and fics._

_Heeeey, guess what? I'm a manga editor now! I edit "Butsu Zone" with MangaCity.net I guess I'm insane, because it's another thing to take up my spare time, but I leech so many scanlations that I felt that I should give something back you know? Anyway, mangacity does a lot of great Shounen releases, which is good, because most scanlations on the 'net tend to be shoujo, and Butsu Zone looks like it's shaping up to be interesting. It's by the same mangaka of Shaman King, so check it out!_

_Review Reply: _

_**JML:** Refer to above. *snickers* Yeah, I love that FB episode too. Maybe I'll squish in a Valentine's Day/White Day chapter - it's such a shoujo manga thing to do, and think of all the mock-angst I can play with because Misao can't possibly think of giving chocolates to Aoshi right? *snickers*_

_**Fallen Virtue: **Observe away, hee hee. Well, yes he does know. And great, you picked up on the possibilities of the group projects, mwahahaha. Actually, that was more to rope in the Kiyosato-Tomoe-Kenshin-Kaoru quadrangle I have later. And it shouldn't get too complex, hopefully. Just complex enough to be interesting, but not so complex that you can't follow who likes who. (i.e, Fushigi Yuugi style XD) There is sadly only one scene where I show Megumi and Masaru working together, but that's a bit later on, and leads onto another scene with Megumi and Aoshi...._

_**FlameSolo: **XD. That he is. For such an angsty character, the first episode of RK makes laugh and laugh with oro-ing Kenshin._

_**bee: **A/M on the way. It is primarily an A/M fic._

_**sawdust monster: **^_____^. Hee hee._

_**Moon Phoenix: **K/K has it's place....but who says Kenshin will be paired with anyone in the end? Besides, he did just accept Kaoru's invitation to go to the Formal...isn't that Kenshin and Kaoru enough for you? Hee hee. And yes, A/M is the primary pairing of this fic. There's not enough A/M...._

_**Katisha888: **Well.....Here's the wake..._

_**Phoe-chan: ***sweat-drops* People in the 'transforming' animes are so oblivious. I tried not to make everyone to oblivious in MH, but some stupidity is needed to make the plot work. And I always thought Kenshin was amazingly intelligent anyway...._

_**gautama: **I WISH inspiration would rain down on me too! Well, it has sort of, but for other fanfiction and original stuff lately. BUT MH is my only really long, multi chapter fic right now - I'm confining the others to trilogy chapters at most. Except I can feel the onset of a multi chapter Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna one coming up...and an D.N. Angel one too. T__T. But I told myself I had to write Part 11 first...And yes, school is sadly top priority. x_x._

_**lebleuphenix:** THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Domo arigatou gozaimashta YO!!!!! Hee hee...yes, the lurking plot lines are waiting..._

_**Kmye-chan: **Youe're not going to say ANYTHING??? *big puppy dog eyes* Hidoi yo....Yeah, I'm not the biggest K/K fan either. And Misao and Aoshi are definitely not going to the formal together, poor Misao. Ah...and I'm trying to avoid actually showing them train together - it'd be hard, cos I really don't know exactly what that training would entail. Plus, Hannya's mainly in charge of her at the moment. Interesting things, eh? *snickers* Well, I'll get my mind out of the gutter. I don't know - I don't want this turning into hentai. _

_**Lazuli Silverwing: **Thank you! And yeah, it probably isn't too realistic, but who says guys can't be small either? Kenshin isn't that much bigger then her really..._

_**Innocent Dreamer: **---__-----;; Yeah well....I think I've grovelled and explained about lateness enough already - I write when I can write. _

_**tesuka-chan: **My head? My head's not that big....it still fits in the room...somewhat....I just can't get past the doorway anymore....And I see you're imagination is quite....uh....vivid XD, if you were passed out on the floor with a big puddle of drool. I admit I blushed when I was writing about it - and I was thinking of that fan service part of RK, the episode where Kenshin and Aoshi fight again, and Aoshi's trench coat drops off, and his shirt opens for no reason at all, other then to make fangirls scream 'Kya!'. Well, yeah. _

_**Megami no Ushi: **Nah, I wish. MH is nowhere near over - the gender bending part is only the first 'section' of plot, so to speak. And the chinese version of manga must be DIRT CHEAP, if it's cheaper then manga is in Japan! You can buy manga in Japan for like 200 yen per volume in the second hand stores, and for like 500 new. That's something like two dollars, and seven dollars in my country. *drools* Kyaaa! You have an awesome collection, but I think mine's pretty good as well. I bought practically all of Flame of Recca, Angel Sanctuary, and the Jinchuu arc of Kenshin when I was Japan. *grins happily* Then my brother went over, and bought me two volumes of Fruits Basket, and last year I went to an anime con and bought the Kaine manga (by Kaori Yuki), a Totoro manga, and the Angel Sanctuary artbook. *hugs books* I'm so obsessive about books. This year, I went to the same con, and I found a Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna artbook. I really should have bought it, but while I was deliberating, (nearly $100!) my friend said she wanted it. So, she bought it. ---__---;;. At least I can still look at it. I really should have bought the Hikaru no Go artbook too, but it was SO expensive, and someone bought it later. I saw them buy it too... T_T._

_**bittersweetKandy: **Yup, it's pretty much inevitable in RK fiction, especially in mush like this. I'm going to try to portray everyone nicely- hopefully it won't get too ugly. _

_**chibicherry:** Hee hee, thanks. _

_**I_like_coffee: **Personally I don't like coffee.....coke is my choice of caffeine. Hate to see what it's doing to my stomach. Wow, you read this in one sitting? Well, I guess I've read longer fics in one sitting, but still. You sat that long in one place to read //my// story? *teary eyes* Thanks....I tried to keep the characters IC, but because it's AU there is a bit of OOCness. Now that I read back, my style seems to me quite awkward here - the beginning chapters are kind of old. I like the style I wrote my Gravi and my FFIX fic the best thus far - but I'm glad that readers like the style MH is written in. Thanks! And you ecchi XD._

_**ai so: **--__--;; looks like it was another two month wait, or just about. And it's been about a month since I wrote fanfiction at all. --___--;; Yes, it's annoying when you have to remind yourself what's going on a just update-otherwise-neglected fic. I have to do it just to write now!_

_**Yumeko: **Isn't he?_

_**Keito-chan: **Thanks! I see that Kagome/Sesshoumaru stories tend to dominate your favourites list - personally I don't really like the pairing, but it's got the cold guy/spunky girl thing going. Aoshi and Misao's relationship is that sort of thing too, but I like them for some reason....For some reason I didn't really like Sesshoumaru all that much, which is peculiar, because I normally adore his type, the white-haired, cold hearted, stoic, villain type. Mwaha. Writing like a guy...eh, it is hard, and I gave up trying to be 'overly masculine'. I just tried imagining the specific characters thoughts, and it sort of came. But I find Misao a lot easier, her being a girl, but she's still somewhat difficult, because she's not me. Well, that's kind of obvious, but. Anyway, the masculinity thing is why I dread writing a Sano chapter. The imagining thing is why I dread writing a Megumi chapter - I think she's quite a complicated character._

_**saicho-18: **Heh, not dead yet. Nice to know someone would miss me though XD. Wow, not OOC at all? Thanks! That's a big lie, or at least a polite exaggeration, but it sure makes me feel GOOD! ^____________^._

_**Go-chan: **Nasty ff.net. Thanks for writing me another one! Yeah, the first piece of Kenshin I ever saw was the Remembrances Arc, and that's pure Kenshin/Tomoe stuff. At first I didn't particularly like Kaoru with Kenshin, but I've sort of accepted it, and she does suit him. Hehe, study sessions are still a little while off....And hopefully the dance will be interesting. And yes, Sano is utterly clueless. ....The RK awards voting still goes on.....I really want to know who wins! I don't think it'll be me though, honestly - the competition is way too stiff. Heehee, chibi-angel and dementedchris' fic makes me laugh too, but they're about just as bad as updating as I am. --___--;;. But thanks! And good luck to you too!_

_**Volcan of Dragonfire: ***ducks head* the best? Thanks! But......the next chapter didn't really come out soon, gomen?_

_**Ao-san: **Hmmm.....poor puddle of Aoshi's heart, XD. I don't know if it's exactly how I always imagine him - I can see him as a gangster, or a teacher, or even as a businessman on my more imaginative days XD. But I'm glad that my version of Aoshi fits your version!_

_**Yume-damo-shiranai: **Good question, but I really don't know! I know roughly where the story should go, but it's changed a bit from where I first imagined it. At least double it's current length, and probably longer. _

_**Tessira Aleyn, Lilfrozenfire, sombody, shelby7, trickster, killua K: **Gomen ne? And especially for the enmass reply. It sucks, but I tend to be a slow updater nowadays....RL keeps me way too busy, namely homework. Actually writing the chapters doesn't take me too long - unless I get writer's block, the scourge of my existence. I feel guilty, and frustrated by not being able to write, but it's all beyond my control. I write when I can write. _

_**hiberantionz: **More about the tournament in upcoming chapters, I promise. The genderbending section of plot has to finish first. The tournament is concerned closer to the end of the story. _

_**Gemini Demon: **Yup, it was Misao! Wow, I got to see a rare you! Thanks! XP. _

_**Crystal Lily: **Hee hee, I though that Kaoru asking Kenshin would be more typical, ne? Well, yes...it would be pretty suspicious. And Sano could be faking it....but I doubt it. _

_**blue eyes: **No problem. Reviewers asking "stupid" questions are usually what points out plot holes, or makes me rethink the plotline, or remember things I wanted to do, or what my writing is really showing them, rather then what I'm trying to show...."Stupid" questions are really helpful, so keep on asking! Well, maybe everyone knows...Or maybe they only suspect...or maybe they're just plain oblivious. _

_**Ginger: **Thanks. And who says you don't have a life? I like reading fanfiction too, and writing it, and I still have something of a life....sort of resembling one anyway. And yes, this is deja vu indeed. _

_ESP: *grins* It won't be strict pairing anything...but I myself don't find K/T icky even when Kaoru IS there. ^____^._

_Dag: Hopefully I'll complete it. But not anytime soon probably. T__T;;_

_Ryuu Angel: YAY!! I love long reviews, they make me feel so spe------cial. Heh, AU fics are kind of pointless, but they're entertaining at least though. And I have character developement? Wow....o.O Thanks. AU fics tend to neglect Tomoe quite a lot, so I want to give her some spotlight, ne? And I love Sou-kun and Okita too, but I would never be able to write an actual series fic about them. Too hard. Thanks for all your comments!_

_nikki: ^__________^. Thank you!_

_WAI! It looks like we're going to break the 300+ review mark soon! I never ever DREAMED that I would get to 200+ reviews, much less 300! Thanks to all of you, especially those of you who keep on returning, and telling me what you think of every chapter. You guys are incredible!_


	12. Author's Note and Chapter Plans MH goes...

_Dear Readers,_

_I just received these reviews:_

Great story! I wish that you would update SOON... Heck, it's been almost a FULL, FREAKIN' YEAR now!! AAR, Reviewer 369

And:

Bahinah

keep writing. update soon!1 for the little peeps

_Indeed, it has almost been a "full freaking year." True, it's been my final year of school, in which I have been concentrating on schoolwork. Yet there is enough time that if I was truly dedicated, I could've written._

_Unfortunately, I seem to have lost my "oomph" for all fanfiction, lost to the selfish pursuit of developing original characters for original fiction/comics. _

_Sad to say, I will probably never finish Meiji Heights. Or not anytime soon anyway. I'm sure this comes as no surprise to you all. But wait! Before you leave, **I'm posting up the plans of what would have happened if I had kept on going. **Feel free to appease your curiousity – and who knows? Maybe someday, when I have more time, like the end of this year, and if there's still interest on both our parts, I maybe will just actually write these planned out chapters. It's a lot easier to write something out once it's planned. But I think it's better to post something like this up, then leave MH hanging forever, abandoned mid-way. At least this way there is some sort of ending to it, even though the end actually hasn't been written ;_

_There are many reasons I cannot continue MH at this stage, such as the aforementioned lack of inspiration, but also part of it is, that I think I simply cannot write the story in it's current state. I read the opening chapters and I cringe. The fangirlish Japanese, (although thankfully I cut down on that in later chapters) the almost American sitcom flavour – I truly cringe. It needs desperate revising, and even that doesn't help the inherent clichés and contradictions– because hey, they're part of the shoujo manga feel. That was part of the fun of this fic at the time I was writing. And above all – THE HAPPY HAPPY ROMANCE. By nature, I am a grump. I can only write such overwhelming sap when I have read wa—y too much shoujo manga – which of course is how Meiji Heights was started. I no longer have the time to indulge in that bad habit ;. My normal writing style is a little different, ne. All these things make MH rather difficult to write in my time constraints, and current sense of aestheticism. _

_It's been a fun ride, and thank you for all your support, and the wonderful reviews from the people who said so much more then "good, gimme an update," and kept me company throughout the chapters. You all kept me wonderfully encouraged, and it was a great feeling knowing so many people liked my writing. I feel like I'm letting you all down, and for that I'm sorry. But if I ever do venture back into fanfiction (and I'm sure I will eventually– it's a habit you can't really kick) I'll stick to shorter things, I think ;. Things that I can actually finish within a foreseeable time. I'll try to finish "Blimp of the Layer," in the meanwhile, and then retire for a bit. _

_Until we meet again;_

_Aishiteru._

Chapter of the formal::

-Aoshi agrees to taking Yumi once Misao explains the full circumstances.

-They prepare for the formal. Aoshi thinks Misao looks very cute in a tuxedo/suit with suspenders ;.

-They go to the formal. Misao sees Aoshi dance with Yumi and feels inadequate. She leaves, because she gasp finally realizes she LIKES Aoshi in THAT WAY.

-Shishio comes storming in, claims Yumi, and they argue, and then MUSH. Kiss-kiss.

-Aoshi wanders off, not too bothered by the fact that his "date" has abandoned him. Finds Misao. They talk. Leads to dancing.

-Mush-mush between Kenshin/Kaoru, some wordplay between Megumi and Tomoe.

-End chapter.

Chapter of the cross dressers/abused Kenshin:

-Kamatari enters the scene. Very angry, and upset. You learn that SHE is a HE!!! Oh the horror. Misao feels very sorry, because she can empathize with his situation. Talks him through it.

-Kaoru gets worried about Kenshin's bruises, and suspects abuse. Calls the police/social services/counselors on poor Hiko.

-The police give up after a demonstration of a sparring match.

-Kaoru is surprised, when Kenshin explains. He explains why he fouled up his kendo match ("It wouldn't have been fair, that it would not have.")

Chapter of the history assignments:

-Misao and Megumi research/talk, in which Megumi inquires about Aoshi's character.

-Misao with Aoshi. A letter falls out of his locker – from Megumi, asking him to meet her by the trees.

-Kenshin and Tomoe work away, and talk a lot. They end up KI---SSING. Of course, Kiyosato and Kaoru walk in at that moment.

-Aoshi goes to meet her. Misao, spying, is struck by how they "look good together" just like Aoshi and Yumi did, only she actually likes Megumi so it's worse. She gets terribly upset, and RUNS AWAY FROM SCHOOL!!!

-Kiyosato doesn't say anything, just storms away. Kaoru looks stunned/hurt. Tomoe runs away as well, (guiltily) leaving Kenshin alone. He's very bewildered.

Chapter of Consequences :

-Aoshi finds out that Misao has RUN AWAY.

-Calls her, but she refuses to come back, or even talk to him.

-Tomoe speaks to Kiyosato, but he says to go away and give him some time.

-Tomoe speaks to Kenshin, and they agree it's not meant to be, right now. But "in another time, another place…"

-Kenshin and Kaoru meet up, and are awkward, but somehow manage to part as friends.

Chapter of Reconciliation: (Probably from Soujirou's POV)

-Opens up with Misao brooding! OO Turns out 'tis the anniversary of her PARENT'S DEATH, also Soujirou's mother's death. His father had already died before that.

-She, Jiya and Soujirou go visit the graves.

-Jiya goes out to get drunk afterwards.

-Soujirou and Misao brood together. Drink tea.

-Doorbell rings, and it is Aoshi and Co.

-Stiff silence, then Megumi forces the situation "Why did you leave? On that day, I talked to Aoshi, I saw you looking very upset, etc."

-Misao squirms, then runs for it. (Emotional stress! Day of her parent's death too!!)

-Soujirou pelts after her, but Aoshi catches her, and she ends up crying all over him ;.

-She confesses.

-MUSH.

-Happy happy, everyone goes back to school.

-Misao's cross dressing charade is over, but she's not sharing a room with Aoshi anymore. Awww.

End of cross dressing Arc. Onto the Tournament Arc!

-Some mysterious occurances – random people trailing Misao and Aoshi, and Kenshin.

-Misao goes home, escorted by Aoshi, but Jiya is missing. Puzzled, she eventually returns to school, but finds a warning tape in the mail from him there.

-Ends up that Jiya is actually running the tournament, only it gets taken over by evil guy in Megumi/Aoshi Arc (from series), and Jiya has been kidnapped.

-Misao is kidnapped. The girls get kidnapped because they happened to be there while Misao gets kidnapped.

-Aoshi is forced to compete in the Tournament, because of the Msao and Co. hostages. Under Evil Guy the Tournament has reverted to bloodiest practices.

-Aoshi broods, and then Misao intervenes.

-Aoshi and Kenshin are forced to compete against each other.

-Misao and Co. manage to break out (through the air vents.)

-They stop the fight.

-Without the hostages, Aoshi and Kenshin are free to kick butt.

-Assistance is given, from Soujirou and Okita, as well as "Uncle Hajime" who was undercover as Saitou the maths teacher tracking Kenshin and Aoshi at school. Hiko also appears (he was conveniently away until then?)

-Bad guys butts are kicked thoroughly.

-Everything is happy happy happy!

-Kenshin and Aoshi retire.

-Everyone goes back to school to worry about such mundane things like exams, and wallow in happy couple-dom.

THE END.


End file.
